Healthcare Equity Advocate
Dr. Yvette Colón
From Survivor to Advocate: Elevating Voices for Change and Equity in Cancer Care.
My Mission:
Blending personal resilience with professional expertise to empower others in the fight for equity in healthcare.
From Provider to Patient Advocate
Before I became an advocate, I spent decades providing care as director of eye care and assistant professor across the U.S. and New Zealand, while also offering direct patient care. Throughout my career, I focused on serving marginalized communities, managing complex eye diseases, and mentoring future clinicians on the importance of culturally competent care. Whether teaching or treating patients, I always prioritized the values of dignity, access, and compassion, ensuring that every patient felt valued and respected.
My Cancer Diagnosis Changed Everything
I never expected to become “the patient”. When I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a disease known for its devastating prognosis, I was stunned. My doctors offered little hope. But I fought. And as I moved through the brutal phases of treatment and recovery, I discovered a strength I didn’t know I had.
My experience confirmed what I had already known: how deeply flawed the system I had worked within truly is, particularly for people of color.
My survival came with a mission:
To use my voice to fight for equity in health care.
Why I Speak Out
Today, I speak up for those who are dismissed, under-treated, and overlooked. Through my writing, speaking, and community work, I focus on dismantling medical racism and empowering patients, especially BIPOC cancer survivors, to advocate for their care. I’m committed to making sure no one has to navigate the system alone, unheard, or unseen.
Racial disparities continue to determine who is heard and who receives equitable care.
Fruit From the Manchineel Tree
Learn more about my memoir, a story that intertwines personal survival with the fight for justice in American healthcare. I share my journey with pancreatic cancer and the racism I faced as a woman of color in medicine.
Empowering Stories
& Advocacy Tips
Visit my blog for personal reflections, practical guidance, and advocacy tips to help you navigate the healthcare system with confidence and courage.
Book Me for Speaking Engagements
I speak about patient advocacy, health equity, resilience, and what it means to survive when the system is stacked against you. Let’s change healthcare together.
Let’s Connect
Have a question, collaboration idea, or just want to say hello? I’d love to hear from you.