Trussville native uses comedy to raise awareness for breast cancer

By Megan Miller, Editor

TRUSSVILLE – Although there’s nothing funny about a cancer diagnosis, Carla “The Truth” Youngblood is trying to bring a lighthearted side to Breast Cancer Awareness Month through standup comedy and personal experience.

Having already fostered a love for comedy, it was only natural for Youngblood to channel that when she got her own cancer diagnosis in October of 2015.
“I do comedy, so that’s automatically what I think,” Youngblood said. “I didn’t even think about anything else.”

Youngblood has been a standup comedian for five years, and in going through cancer herself, she said she saw how she could use comedy as a platform to connect cancer patients, survivors and supporters alike.

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Youngblood went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy from November 2015 until March of 2016, and then had a double mastectomy in May of 2016. Following eight weeks of recuperation, Youngblood is now receiving radiation treatment.

“I saw how many people were hurting in their spirit as they were going through this and I was going through mine,” Youngblood said.

Youngblood put on a show titled “The Truth About Breast Cancer” on October 1 at the Carver Theater in Birmingham. She offered 50 free tickets to current chemotherapy patients. This was her first one-woman show.

When Youngblood was diagnosed, she started keeping journals about her treatment process, not knowing she was going to channel that into a comedy show. Once she decided to put the show on, her first point of reference was going back to her journals.

After starting on material for the show, Youngblood next contacted the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Homewood to see if they’d partner with her, helping with advertisement, and then she began communicating with other survivors, doctors and nurses who serve cancer patients to further gather material. Finally, she secured the Carver Theater for the event.

“I spoke with the executive director and told her what I wanted to do with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and she jumped right on board with the cause,” Youngblood said.

Youngblood hopes that based on the success of Saturday’s event, this will be the first of many. She will be doing another “The Truth About Breast Cancer” show in Columbus, Mississippi on October 15.

“I wanted to start at home and because it was such a success at home, I plan to go elsewhere,” Youngblood said.

Youngblood said her favorite part of the event was seeing people from all walks of life come together.

“When I looked out at the room I saw at least half the room was survivors and the other half wasn’t,” Youngblood said. “It brought in survivors and supporters of the cause, and I felt like that was a very good mix.”

Youngblood said she also enjoyed the affirmation she received from attendees after the show.

“They said the fact that I could make what we went through funny gave them a different perspective and made them not feel sad about what they went through,” Youngblood said. “It was another gathering for survivors, I could see the camaraderie there, with them sharing it together.”