In today's podcast episode, Dr. Kemi Doll, a 43-year-old double board-certified gynecologic oncologist and OBGYN, uterine cancer scientist at the University of Washington, coach for women of color in academic medicine, nonprofit founder supporting Black women with womb cancers, and author of
A Terrible Strength, discusses Black womb health and the "terrible strength" that leads Black women to normalize heavy bleeding and pain, endure gynecologic disease, and delay care. She shares her personal history of lifelong painful, heavy periods, infertility labeled "unexplained," and a first endometriosis diagnosis during a C-section despite being a board-certified OBGYN, linking endurance to cognitive load and worsened outcomes. She addresses gynecology's history of experimentation on enslaved Black women and ongoing pain dismissal, and offers steps for healing and advocacy: making space for grief, learning family "womb stories," clarifying medical and physical goals, and bringing a "womb sister" to appointments, plus defining medically and spiritually safe support.
Steps for Healing & Medical Advocacy Dr. Doll outlines actionable strategies for Black women to navigate the healthcare system safely and advocate for their reproductive well-being:
Strategy Actionable Step Make Space for Grief Allow yourself to grieve the time, fertility, or bodily peace lost to undiagnosed or dismissed pain. Learn "Womb Stories" Talk to maternal relatives to uncover family histories of fibroids, heavy bleeding, infertility, or gynecologic cancers. Clarify Your Goals Determine both your medical goals (e.g., pain management, fertility preservation) and your physical goals (e.g., daily energy, comfort). Bring a "Womb Sister" Never go to critical appointments alone. Bring a trusted friend, family member, or doula to act as your advocate and take notes. Define Safe Support Actively seek out healthcare providers who offer both medically safe clinical care and spiritually safe emotional support.
Timestamps
00:00 Meet Dr. Kemi Doll
02:11 Book Praise And Chapter Nine
05:18 Why She Told Her Story
08:14 Infertility And Endometriosis
11:41 Defining Terrible Strength
17:02 Medicine And Black Pain History
22:00 Puberty Pain And Grief Space
26:24 Survival Guide To Healing
27:17 Grief And Emotions
28:03 Family Womb Stories
30:03 Medical Goals And Questions
32:19 Define How You Want Feel
33:21 Bring A Womb Sister
36:08 Building A Safe Village
37:05 Medical Trust And Expertise
39:44 Spiritual Safety And Support
41:47 Her Own Village
44:28 Encouragement And Next Steps
46:44 Where To Find Dr Kemi
48:36 Final Book Recommendations
