A personal essay by Dr. Nia Bailey, WISDOM Study Community Advisor & Participant
My DNA. A feeling that felt familiar. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it was as if I had felt it before — a sense of déjà vu that I came to recognize as the feeling of cancer.
This realization wasn’t just physical — it was ancestral. My DNA had felt this before. Let me explain.
My Great Grandmother’s Strength
The presence of cancer was first felt by my great-grandmother, Marie Pryor, a 4’11” half Black and half Cherokee woman, born on May 10, 1910, in South Carolina.
Marie was married and birthed eleven children. She was a phenomenal cook, gardener, baker, wife, mother, friend, and child of God. Later in life, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her experience mirrored that of her mother, grandmother, and ancestors — women who likely battled similar diseases that were unnamed or never spoken about.
Living in rural South Carolina during Jim Crow, Marie endured polluted well water, long hours of work, little rest, and the constant weight of caring for her family.
All of these factors may have contributed to her diagnosis, but her resilience was just as deeply rooted as her pain. That strength was woven into our family’s DNA, passed through generations.
The Legacy of Cancer in My Family
Of Marie’s eleven children, two are still living. The rest, including my grandmother, passed away from cancer:
- Marie Pryor – Breast Cancer
- Errol – Lung Cancer
- Herman – Multiple Myeloma
- Bobby – Breast Cancer
- Cora – Breast Cancer
- Chris – Unknown (suspected cancer)
- Ann – Liver Cancer
- Mattie – Pancreatic Cancer
- Lorraine Byrd Fields Latham – Multiple Myeloma
Each name represents not just a diagnosis, but a story — of endurance, faith, and love.
A Legacy of Survival and Faith
Marie’s daughter, my grandmother Lorraine Byrd Fields Latham, was born on June 28, 1932, in Enoree, South Carolina. Like her mother, she too faced a cancer diagnosis — Multiple Myeloma.
She later migrated to Philadelphia to seek a better life for her family. Despite the hardships of segregation and limited opportunity, she carried a strand of resilience and deep faith. Lorraine birthed four children, was active in her community, and served as a devoted woman of God.
Her faith, strength, and perseverance became the foundation of our family’s legacy.
My Mother’s Story: Turning Pain into Power
Lorraine’s youngest child and only daughter — my mother — Narda J. Fields, was born on September 30, 1961, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though she has not had cancer herself, she carries the emotional and epigenetic imprint of her mother’s and grandmother’s battles.
Instead of allowing that weight to define her, my mother turned pain into purpose. She is now a two-time author, humanitarian, chef, and nonprofit leader — a radiant example of what faith and resilience can create.
My Own Experience: Feeling the Weight of History
My name is Nia Imani Bailey. I was born on August 26, 1992, at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.
I carry the stories and strength of the women before me — and, like them, I carry a genetic connection to cancer. I have a BCL6 gene mutation, which increases my risk for lymphoma.
My father, Curry J. Bailey III, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008 and has been thriving ever since. My parents’ transparency about our family’s medical history has empowered me to live with awareness, not fear.
That’s why I joined the WISDOM Study — to take proactive steps for my health, to have informed conversations with my doctor, and to ensure that future generations in my family are better equipped and informed.
I was raised to believe that education is power, that faith fuels action, and that prevention is a form of love — for ourselves and for those who come after us.
Breaking the Cycle
My goal is simple: to stop passing on the genetic feeling and diagnosis of cancer.
I want to pass on resilience, faith, education, and wellness.
Leadership, especially in women, is built upon our ancestry. The women in our family were trailblazers — teaching us to stand tall, stay rooted in faith, and remain unshakably resilient.
What we experience today, our DNA has experienced before. But like our ancestors, we can rewrite the story — we can change the narrative, change our outcomes, and change our legacy.
So that our children — our girls — will remember our stories, but will not have to relive our pain.
We are, and will always be, our sisters’ keepers.
A Call to Action for Women
✔ Be kind to ourselves and to each other
✔ Support and uplift the next generation of women leaders
✔ Continue the legacy of resilience and faith
✔ Donate to WISDOM
✔ Enroll in the WISDOM StudyTogether, we can make a difference — for ourselves, for our families, and for the sisters who will come after us.
“It’s the rent we pay by living on this earth.”
With Agape Love,
Dr. Nia Imani Bailey
