![\"Courtesy](\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/ML5Z534GBBCYLOAI23LYRXZKTQ.jpg?auth=6a8e1b45a7f2477f9c1eb5bfe94e5bb6085f046e6ab3120c53c1678a8ad80d02&width=1280&smart=true&quality=90\"\/)
A pregnant Deanna Jean is pictured with her husband, Marc Jean, during her chemotherapy sessions in May 2016. (Courtesy Marc Jean)Courtesy Deanna Jean<\/p>\n
ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN<\/p>\n
Originally from Brooklyn, Jean has called Staten Island home for nearly two decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been on Staten Island for the last 20 years,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen it was time to buy a home in 2006, the two affordable options were Staten Island and the Bronx\u2014so it wasn\u2019t much of a competition. We\u2019ve been here ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jean has also built a thriving career in business and leadership development. After two decades in tech sales, she started her own company in 2019, working from her Staten Island home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve worked remotely since 2008,\u201d she said. \u201cMy background is in sales, and I\u2019ve worked for tech companies for about 25 years\u2014always remotely. I started my own business in 2019 and continued working from home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her professional success led to opportunities to collaborate with influential figures, including Tina Knowles<\/a>, whom Jean met through a feature on an ABC7 News special with the American Cancer Society.<\/p>\n \u201cThey wanted to highlight my story because it\u2019s so unique\u2014being diagnosed while pregnant\u2014and to raise awareness among women of color about advocating for themselves in medical settings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n LIFE AFTER CANCER<\/p>\n Today, Jean is in remission\u2014and thriving.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in remission since 2017\u2014almost 10 years now,\u201d she said with a smile. \u201cThank God.\u201d<\/p>\n Conversations about health in the Black community have long been quiet\u2014especially when it comes to breast cancer. But that silence is starting to fade. <\/p>\n A growing number of women are speaking openly about both the physical and emotional realities of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.<\/p>\n That shift matters. Breast cancer continues to affect Black women at disproportionately high rates, and for many, confronting the disease means navigating both medical and mental health challenges. <\/p>\n Across generations, women are creating safe spaces, raising awareness, and prioritizing healing in every sense\u2014ushering in a new era where mental and emotional wellness are finally seen as essential parts of the cancer journey.<\/p>\n Recent research underscores the need for that openness. Studies show that about 40% of Black breast cancer survivors experience significant anxiety, and roughly one in five report symptoms of depression after diagnosis.<\/p>\n For Jean, those numbers resonate deeply.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first thought was fear, because I didn\u2019t want to leave my two boys and husband so prematurely,\u201d she told Essence magazine.<\/a><\/p>\n Her story reflects a reality many survivors share but few talk about: the weight of uncertainty, the emotional toll of treatment, and the strength it takes to keep moving forward.<\/p>\n Her three children\u2014now 16, 14 and 9\u2014have grown up watching their mother embody strength and resilience. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was diagnosed, my sons were four and five, and I was pregnant with my daughter,\u201d Jean said. \u201cNow my oldest is a sophomore at Susan Wagner High School, my second is a freshman at St. Peter\u2019s, and my daughter is in fourth grade at Notre Dame Academy.\u201d<\/p>\n Jean\u2019s story is a reminder that courage often begins with listening\u2014to one\u2019s body, to one\u2019s instincts, and to one\u2019s own inner voice.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was diagnosed, I was fortunate to have connections who helped me reach medical directors at top cancer centers within 24 hours,\u201d she said. \u201cBut even Sloan Kettering told me they couldn\u2019t treat me because they didn\u2019t have a maternal-fetal specialist at the time. <\/p>\n \u201cSo we searched everywhere and were relieved to find care on Long Island. It was a real lesson in trusting your body and advocating for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n Jean continues to advocate for health equity and self-empowerment, speaking at events and mentoring others navigating their own diagnoses.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just glad to share my story\u2014it\u2019s so important, especially here on Staten Island,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Her journey stands as a testament to perseverance, faith, and the power of self-advocacy\u2014a message every woman should hear.<\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 When Staten Islander Deana Jean discovered a lump in her breast during her third…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30523,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":["post-30522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-staten-island","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-staten-island","tag-staten-island-headlines","tag-staten-island-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Courtesy](\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/HWKIKQCQJRGVXJWJXHOWNUC5BU.jpg?auth=a6a996f4ebf46efc973339faaa7ce3fd1355b7ae2be911f14aeed2f213288210&width=1280&smart=true&quality=90\"\/)
In January 2016, Deanna Jean is phictired with her husabd Marc and their two sons, before her her breast cancer diagnosis. (Courtesy Deana Jean)Courtesy Deanna Jean<\/p>\n![\"Courtesy](\"https:\/\/www.silive.com\/resizer\/v2\/JJKSZ27RJVAUFBPMBRK3WBV2XY.jpg?auth=98a100b36666e320078fa89d7661b0ec1807d81780d8950c99891ef6fc2b03ac&width=1280&smart=true&quality=90\"\/)
Now in remission from her breast cancer, Deanna Jean is CEO of Intentional Excellence Consulting, a sales and leadership consulting firm (deanajean.com). Courtesy Marc JeanCourtesy Deanna Jean<\/p>\n