From the time she got married in September 2021, Kenya Appling had looked forward to having a child. That dream was crushed four months after her wedding when Appling, was diagnosed with uterine cancer and, at the advice of her doctor, underwent a hysterectomy, as well as chemotherapy and radiation. “It was really devastating. I could not come to terms with it for a while,” she said. Appling, who says her doctor told her she did not have any established risk factors before her diagnosis, believes the cancer was caused by harmful ingredients in the chemical hair straighteners she had used monthly since childhood. She is among thousands of Black women who have sued L’Oréal, Revlon and other makers of chemical hair straighteners, alleging the companies’ products caused them irreparable harm and serious injury. Chief among those injuries for many of them is the devastating loss of the ability to have children. Read more at the link in bio. 📷️ @nitashiajohnson and @__rita.p