Leanne Pero MBE knows what it is to face a devastating diagnosis and then sit in waiting rooms seeing no one who looks like you and be questioned about why you've turned up for the Cancer group..

So after feeling excluded from support, she did what she'd always done since childhood, when home didn't feel safe, she built something. Back then it was a dance class. This time, it was a 7 figure charity movement!

Leanne Pero MBE is a cancer survivor, activist, entrepreneur and founder of Black Women Rising, one of the UK's most important charities supporting Black women through cancer diagnosis, treatment and survival. Recognised with an MBE, her work has spent over a decade ensuring Black women are heard, believed and represented in healthcare. Her mission is far from finished.

In this episode we cover:-

* What Prince William said when she collected her MBE

* Her cancer diagnosis, by the same doctor who had diagnosed her mum

* The childhood trauma that unknowingly trained her to lead

* The stigma inside Black communities around cancer, and why silence is costing lives

* Staggering research around black women being miss diagnosed and being told by healthcare professionals they didn't think it was cancer

*Being trolled on social media for "race baiting" for simply creating a space

*What she needs doctors and decision makers to actually do differently

*How she built Black Women Rising, and what she'd tell anyone starting a charity

*The gratitude practices and inner work keeping her grounded

Follow Leanne:

https://www.instagram.com/leanneperoofficial/?hl=en

Website:

https://blackwomenrisinguk.org/

Hormones & Heroines:

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For the first time on Hormones & Heroines, Sarah-Jane sits down with one of the most respected names in maternal and foetal medicine. Professor Asma Khalil.

Professor Khalil also delivered Sarah-Jane's two children, so this one is personal.

Whether you're pregnant, trying to conceive, navigating a previous loss, or just terrified of doing the wrong thing, this episode is for you.

If you've ever wondered whether it's safe to take paracetamol, drink coffee, have sex, fly, exercise, or eat sushi while pregnant, Professor Khalil is here with the science, the straight answers, and the no BS truth on what's a real risk and what's a myth.

She doesn't just list the dos and don'ts. She tells you why and what actually happens to your baby when things go wrong.

In this episode, you'll learn:

The truth about paracetamol and autism and why the viral scare story was wrong

Why untreated fever in pregnancy is actually more dangerous than the medicine

What alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs actually do to your baby

The real risks of flying, saunas and why you should avoid heavy lifting in pregnancy

What the research says about aspirin, progesterone and preventing miscarriage

The disparity around black women's pregnancy and childbirth outcomes and why studies show black doctors are getting better results for black patients

The honest truth about getting pregnant over 40 and what doctors won't always tell you

Looking for pregnancy safe hair care?

Clean Curls offers safer, cleaner curl care for the whole family.

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FOLLOW

Follow Professor Khalil:

Instagram: @profasmakhalil

Follow Hormones & Heroines:

Instagram: @hormonesandheroines

YouTube: @hormonesandheroines

Website: hormonesandheroines.co.uk

Host — Sarah-Jane Crawford:

Instagram: @sarahjanecrawford

Subscribe to the Hormones & Heroines YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/@hormonesandheroines

Professor Khalil is a licensed medical professional but this episode is intended for general educational purposes only. Every pregnancy is different, so please discuss your own personalised plan with your own doctor or midwife.

She grew up in a single-parent household in East London. Nearly stabbed. Nearly recruited by gangs. Ran for Young Mayor of Newham. Then hit rock bottom. She was suicidal, lost, and searching. What pulled her back? Spirituality, love, and an unshakeable belief in her own voice.

Hayley Mulenda is now a global speaker commanding six figures per engagement. Her viral talk “You’re Too Broke to Not Be Visible” has reached millions — and her book ‘Speak Up’ is your blueprint for using your voice to make money and impact.

This episode will shake you!