Mphango Simwaka was diagnosed with blood cancer at 24 and worked with EastEnders on the storyline.
A young Londoner with a rare form of blood cancer has worked with TV soap opera EastEnders to encourage young black women to "speak up" with concerns about their health.
Mphango Simwaka was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) at the age of 24.
Now EastEnders has created a storyline where the character of Denise Fox, played by Diane Parish, has been diagnosed with the disease.
Diagnosis - and survival - rates among black people with AML are lower than for white people.
Simwaka told BBC London she had to battle to get a diagnosis: "I know from dealing with health professionals and the NHS for a really long time as a black woman, I have to advocate for myself.
"It was difficult. I did almost give up but luckily I had great friends and family that kept kept me going and kept me pushing till I got the answers that I needed."
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