We recently connected with Kandice Rose and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kandice, thanks for joining us today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

A Heartwarming Moment from My Journey as a Mental Health Advocate

One of the most unforgettable moments in my career came during a speaking engagement where I was invited to serve on a panel discussing mental health and the lack of resources in minority communities. I had the opportunity to provide psychoeducation on common diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. But more importantly, I was able to speak candidly about the deeply rooted stigma that exists in Black and Brown communities when it comes to mental health.

I shared how mental health challenges are often misunderstood and misjudged, especially in environments where strength and survival are expected but silence around emotional pain is normalized. I spoke from both clinical knowledge and lived experience, and I could feel the room shift.

After the panel, a woman approached me in tears. She told me, “Your presentation and passion made me realize I’ve been part of the problem. I didn’t know how judgmental I was toward my loved one. I wasn’t aware of how serious mental health really is—it’s not just being lazy.” Her vulnerability and honesty touched me deeply.

Throughout the rest of the day, several others echoed similar sentiments. One participant, a cancer survivor, thanked me for being the first person to acknowledge that PTSD can stem from cancer treatment. She said no one had ever validated her emotional pain before—until that day.

That moment reminded me exactly why I do this work. The gratitude I received—from parents, spouses, survivors—affirmed that awareness can lead to healing, and conversation can spark compassion. These heart-to-heart connections are the reason I continue to say “yes” to panels, speaking engagements, and advocacy work. Because changing one perspective can change an entire family’s experience.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Meet Kandice: Survivor. Therapist. Speaker and Mental Health Champion.

By the time Kandice attended college at Huston–Tillotson University in Austin, Texas, she had already triumphed over cancer twice. Her journey began with a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, just eight months after losing her beloved grandmother to Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Not long after, she was diagnosed with leukemia, requiring a lifesaving bone marrow transplant—graciously donated by her sister, Kacee.

But her story didn’t end there. Kandice later lost her brother to sarcoma and her great-grandmother to breast cancer—all within a year. In 2010, she faced cancer a third time. Despite these unimaginable challenges, she found strength, resilience, and purpose through advocacy.

Before her dear friend Lindsey passed from ovarian cancer, the two founded Pretty Girls with Cancer™, a nonprofit that supports women and teens affected by cancer. Through this organization, Kandice has led a decade of impactful initiatives:

Partnering with Be The Match™ to help patients find bone marrow donors

Serving as Survivorship Chair for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life™

Creating Totes of Love, which provides comfort bags to patients in treatment

Launching Coinz 4 Kids with Cancer, a school-based awareness and fundraising program

Hosting the Mind, Body & Soul Therapeutic Retreat, offering healing spaces for survivors

Kandice’s advocacy has earned her multiple honors, including:
✨ Top 30 Influential Women Honoree
✨ White House HIV/AIDS Advocate (President Obama’s Administration)
✨ Black Hawk’s Top 30 Under 30 in Houston
✨ “Mover and Shaker in the Community” by Austin’s Statements Newspaper
✨ Mistress of Ceremonies for the American Cancer Society

Today, Kandice continues her mission as a Licensed Master Social Worker, with a Master’s in Social Work and a focus on mental health—especially for those navigating life after cancer. Following the passing of her mother to ovarian and colon cancer, her work has taken on even deeper meaning. In 2025, she will become a psychotherapist after receiving her clinical license.

What Kandice wants you to know:

“My purpose is rooted in healing—not just the body, but the mind and spirit. I’ve been there. I’ve cried. I’ve fought. I’ve survived. And now, I’m here to walk with others as they find their way to wholeness.”

Whether she’s speaking on a national panel, sitting beside a patient in treatment, or holding space for someone in therapy, Kandice’s message is always the same:
You are seen. You are heard. You are not alone.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A Lesson I Had to Unlearn: Letting Go of Emotional Baggage

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was this idea that I always had to be strong — not just for myself, but for everyone else. I wore that “strong Black woman” label like armor, even when I was crumbling inside.

During my cancer journey, I quietly built up resentment. I carried the weight of expecting certain people to show up for me — to call, check in, or just be there — and when they didn’t, it cut deep. I told myself, “It’s fine, you’re strong, you don’t need anyone.” But the truth was, I did need someone. I was hurting. I was exhausted. And I was afraid to say so out loud.

I also had to unlearn the habit of hiding my real feelings out of fear of being judged — of being seen as too emotional, too sensitive, or even ungrateful. I kept so much locked inside that it started to manifest as anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and eventually burnout. I realized I was carrying emotional baggage that wasn’t mine to hold anymore — past disappointments, unmet expectations, and the pressure to never be vulnerable.

Healing required me to stop pretending I had it all together. It meant giving myself permission to grieve, to speak honestly, and to not always be the strong one. I had to remind myself: strength isn’t just about pushing through — it’s also about knowing when to pause, when to ask for help, and when to simply feel.

Unlearning that kind of emotional suppression gave me peace. It made room for authentic relationships and deeper healing — and now, it’s something I guide others through in my mental health advocacy and therapy work.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

What’s Most Helpful for Succeeding in My Field (Besides Training & Knowledge)

Beyond the degrees, certifications, and continuing education, what has made me most successful in my work as both a therapist and motivational speaker is simple: being 100% real.

As a therapist, I don’t try to “fix” my clients — I listen, without judgment, and walk alongside them as they grow into the person they want to become. That’s especially important when working with adolescents. They can sense when someone is being fake or disconnected, and they don’t respond to surface-level conversations. My transparency and authenticity build trust, which becomes the foundation for real healing.

What also sets me apart is that I don’t just understand trauma and mental health from a clinical perspective — I live it. I’ve been a cancer survivor three times. I’ve been a caregiver as a teen and an adult. I’ve held the hands of loved ones — my grandmother, mother, and brother — as they fought and ultimately succumbed to cancer. I’ve faced my own mortality and survived. That level of experience gives me insight that can’t be taught in a textbook.

I’ve also seen firsthand how untreated mental illness and a lack of boundaries can slowly unravel a family. That’s why empathy, honesty, active listening, and education are at the core of everything I do. It’s not just about helping people cope — it’s about helping them find their power again.

My clients know I see them. I get them. And I care deeply about their healing — that’s what makes all the difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.prettygirlswithcancer.org
• Instagram: thesurvivorchick / prettygirlswithcancer
• Facebook: Kandice Rose
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kandice-rose-b3b8972a7

Image Credits

Kandice Rose