Baltimore Author Seeks to Broaden Definition of Breast Cancer Survivor

Jaydee Toe, a Baltimore native and author, has been cleared of Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer, a diagnosis that led her to found Priority Over Protocol to redefine patient advocacy. On April 1, 2026, imaging revealed no signs of metabolically active malignancy. Her oncologist confirmed these findings on April 2, 2026. Toe, a Black, masculine-presenting woman, uses this medical clearance to argue that survivorship extends beyond scan results to include identity and personal agency.

Toe was diagnosed with the cancer on February 28, 2025. She started treatment on April 28, 2025. The regimen was halted after approximately 10 weeks when she developed severe immunotherapy-related colitis. This complication required hospitalization and disrupted her planned medical course. The experience reinforced her belief that patients must remain active participants in their healthcare decisions rather than passive recipients of treatment.

“My story is bigger than a clear scan. It is about surviving without disappearing inside the diagnosis. It is about patient voice, emotional regulation, medical partnership and taking an active role in your own well-being. It is also about what happens when a Black, masculine-presenting woman refuses to edit herself to be recognized as a woman, a patient or a survivor,” Toe said.

Toe noted a gap in how breast cancer survivorship is visually and culturally represented. She observed that common images in health spaces rarely featured individuals with styles such as fresh fades, durags, or tattoos. She felt that the public narrative often excluded people who do not conform to traditional feminine presentations. “I did not see the fresh fades, durags, tattoos or masculine confidence that reflected me. I rarely heard honest conversations about entering women-centered health spaces while wondering whether there was room for my full identity. I am not asking to fit the existing picture of survivorship. I am expanding it,” she said.

Her organization, Priority Over Protocol, promotes the idea that self-care is an integral part of treatment and recovery. The name reflects her focus on making space for the person behind the patient role. Toe emphasizes that being an active participant does not mean replacing medical advice with personal research. It involves paying attention to the body, asking questions, and maintaining clear communication with health care providers. Her platform encourages patients to seek clarity and take part in decisions about their health.

Toe has published a book titled Priority Over Protocol: Self-Care During Chemo, which details her approach to healing from the inside out. She argues that care often takes unexpected turns, as her own treatment did when the colitis developed. Her work centers on the importance of emotional regulation and medical partnership during serious illness. She maintains that patients should feel empowered to speak up and demand respect without altering their appearance or identity.

“Survival does not have one face. Healing does not have one wardrobe. Womanhood does not owe anyone a particular silhouette,” Toe said. She aims to bring this perspective to wider discussions on Black women’s health and informed self-advocacy. Her goal is to ensure that audiences consider who is represented in survivorship narratives and who may be left out of the traditional picture.

Toe brings a perspective she believes is rarely heard to conversations about breast cancer culture. She combines candor and humor with a focus on cultural fluency. Her work seeks to validate the experiences of patients who do not fit the standard mold of survivorship. She continues to advocate for a broader understanding of what it means to survive and heal.