The Unexpected Detour ❤️

In this unforgettable episode of The Unexpected Detour ❤️ , host Frances Hammond sits down with Kijuan M. Amey —an Army veteran, drummer, entrepreneur, and author of the inspiring book Don’t Focus On “Why Me?” . After a life-changing motorcycle accident left him blind, Kijuan could have given up. Instead, he leaned into his faith, found a new rhythm, and turned his detour into a divine assignment....

Tonight’s Conversation Recap – The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer In this heartfelt discussion, we reflected on the recent passing of Ananda Lewis and explored the question: Would early detection through mammograms have changed her diagnosis? We opened up about our own cancer journeys and the emotional weight that comes with hearing the word cancer . We also discussed the opti...

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Tally Koren — a singer, songwriter, spiritual healer, and caregiver whose life and music are deeply rooted in compassion, resilience, and love. Tally opens up about her late husband Doug's courageous battle with cancer and how caregiving shaped her path as an artist and healer. Tally also shares the emotional journey of caring for her mother, who is livi...

Tonight on The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer… We didn’t hold back. We opened up about the silent battles—the side effects that disrupt our lives and challenge our identities. From hair loss to autoimmune issues, we spoke our truth—raw, real, and unapologetically powerful. Because when Black women speak, the world should listen. Presented by The Unexpected Detour ❤️

In this deeply moving episode of The Unexpected Detour ❤️, host Frances Hammond sits down with author, therapist, and advocate Sally McQuallen. Sally is a wife, mother of three, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. She joins us to share the story behind her powerful memoir, Reaching for Beautiful: A Memoir of Loving and Losing a Wild Child. With remarka...

Today, I had the honor of interviewing Tony Stewart, author of Carrying The Tiger: A Memoir. Tony’s powerful memoir shares his deeply personal journey as the devoted caregiver to his beloved wife, Lynn, who courageously battled Stage IV metastatic cancer for six years. In our conversation, Tony opens up about the challenges, heartache, and unwavering love that defined their path. His story is a mo...

The resilience of Black women confronting breast cancer is an inspiring testament to strength, courage, and perseverance. Despite facing unique challenges, including disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, Black women continue to demonstrate remarkable fortitude in their fight against this disease. Cultural, social, and familial support systems play a crucial role in empowering these women...

There was a time when the constant mention of breast cancer became a heavy weight, and I was simply fed up with discussing it. The very word felt exhausting, and I grew weary of the well-meaning conversations, longing only to leave it all behind and reclaim my life. Then, a lifeline appeared in the form of a group of incredible women who profoundly changed my perspective and my heart. Now, fueled...

“Resilience is knowing that you are the only one that has the power and the responsibility to pick yourself up.”-Mary HollowayIn this episode the ladies and discussed our uncertainty of Breast Cancer in the future. We talked about unknown factors that we didn't know were associated with breast cancer. We took time to remember our sister Angie Money who lost her fight to breast cancer on February 2...

Today's discussion covered the probability that toxic products, foods you eat and products we use daily may be a contributing factor of Breast Cancer. We covered birth control, hair care products, plastic bottles, synthetic materials such as clothes, bed linens and what's in the food and drinks we consume. Reading labels is important and knowing the terminology of the words on the products can sav...

I had the pleasure of catching up with Tamika Baker, one of the ladies who's a part of The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer. She is one of the most transparent women I have met during my journey. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 TNBC (Triple Negative Breast Cancer). She had a double mastectomy and goes into details about the procedure. She left me in awe as I listened to her story...

The voice that I disliked will be the legacy left behind.

In episode 4 of The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer the women were transparent about personal issues. We covered how they dealt with their diagnosis mentally. How do they see themselves physically when they look in the mirror? Then we discussed intimacy which these women were open and honest. #mindbodyandspirit#intimacy #physical #mentally#transparent

The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer is a project that explores the strength and determination of Black women in their fight against breast cancer. It highlights their unique challenges, such as disparities in access to healthcare and clinical trials, and celebrates their resilience in overcoming these obstacles. The project aims to raise awareness of breast cancer in the Black...

Two years ago, I had the esteemed privilege of interviewing Bill C. Potts. the author of "Up For The Fight". This is a book about his journey with cancer. Not one type of cancer, but five types of cancer. I wanted to catch up with him and find out how he's doing, and I was excited to hear that he has used his story to encourage others. Have a listen but if you haven't listened to my interview Bill...

A Podcast Powered by The Unexpected Detour ❤️ The Resilience of Black Women Confronting Breast Cancer is more than a conversation—it's a community. Each episode, we hold space for Black women to share their deeply personal journeys through diagnosis, treatment, survival, and everything in between. You'll meet fresh faces, hear new stories, and dive into meaningful discussions around the challenges...

We as Black women have long been the least likely to talk openly about breast cancer, too often silenced by stigma, shame, or fear of rejection. But today, that changes. We’re beginning a new chapter—one where we break the cycle of silence by being inclusive, transparent, and unapologetically open about our journeys with breast cancer. Meet Angie, Zainab, Latisha, Tifanie, and Zakiarh . Each of th...

Being transparent means letting it - all of it - pass through us. Converse to letting go, it means never holding on in the first place. When we can learn to do this, we remove the obstacles of ego that we ourselves create in our lives. Being transparent isn’t just about physical clarity; it’s about openness, honesty, and vulnerability. Order your autographed copy of Alopecia or Cancer This is Me a...

We're so grateful for the voices who joined us this Black History Month. A special thanks to Steven Lewis, Octavia SoulSista Cohen, Andrea C, Dwayne Graham, Eric Benson, Danielle Atherton-Bonner, Kimberly Policano, Selena Cherry and Ranelle Wilson for sharing their powerful detours. Please check out The Unexpected Detour podcast available across podcast platforms.

The special guest today is Ranelle Wilson, who is a up and coming body sculptor. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree and started a job in the medical field. She, like most of the younger generation that I have interviewed, prefers to work for themselves and that was exactly what she does as a body sculptor. Ranelle technique is non-invasive body sculpting using wood to help fight cellulite. As...

My special guest today is Selena Cherry, she's a mother grandmother, she works a full-time job and is a solopreneur. She and I met her at church, I would love to go to church and see her outside. She had that biggest smile and would hug you as you came through the door.  It was later that I found out she was on a ministry called the SMILE ministry. Selena loves candles and the scents but would...

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Kimberly Policano. Kim and I met and worked when she was eighteen years old. Although she may have left, we reconnected in 2005. Kim was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of twenty-five, but as time went by, she her kidneys would no longer function properly. Determined to keep living, she went on kidney dialysis for seven years when she would receive her...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Danielle Atheron-Bonner who hails from The Bronx, NY.She is a force to be reckoned with and a powerhouse of a woman. I met her while attending church with my mother and my mother who always spoke highly of her. Danielle is a wife, a mother and a woman who is her own boss. She is a teacher; she is licensed to sell real estate in three states and currently works on...

Today's guest is Eric Benson who I've known all his life because he is my cousin. Eric grew up in the Bronx in the streets selling drugs not to his liking, but it was a way of survival. As Eric got older, he became very good at what he did being a hustler until that fateful day when he killed someone. At the time of the killing, he was a young father of a son. The next time I heard about Eric, he...

"When we learn from experience, the scars of sin can lead us to restoration and a renewed intimacy with God." Charles Stanley Dwayne Graham is my special guest on this episode of The Unexpected Detour. Dwayne is a husband, father, Reverend, author, coach and motivational speaker. He journey began in a home where both parents when visible and active in he and his siblings’ lives. Life was turned up...