My Story: Doctors Ignored My Pain, But I Refused to Be Silent

Photo courtesy of the American Heart Association Health advocacy plays a vital role in patient care, especially for Black women, who often face disparities in medical treatment. Brittney Saunders Graves, a stroke survivor turned cardiovascular health advocate, knows this struggle firsthand—fighting relentlessly for the diagnosis and care she deserves. BlackDoctor.org sat down with Graves to discuss the power of self-advocacy and why she refused to stay silent in the face of medical dismissal. The Early Symptoms and Initial Dismissal Graves’ health crisis began with an intense migraine and neck pain on her left side. As someone with a history of migraines, she initially managed her symptoms with medication.  “Since I had a history of migraines, I thought taking my usual medication would help, but after a few days, the pain didn’t go away. Like many Black women, I tried to push through it and waited… before going to the ER,” Graves shares. However, as the pain persisted for several days, she sought medical attention at a military facility emergency room.  “Since I was in the military at the time, I went to a military facility and told them I had a severe migraine and neck pain that made it hard...