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Home • Health & Wellness

LL Cool J and His Wife Simone Smith Team Up For The Beat Cancer Like A Boss Campaign

They showed cancer who's boss, and now they want to help others tap into the same inner strength.
LL Cool J and His Wife Simone Smith Team Up For The Beat Cancer Like A Boss Campaign
Getty Images
By Jasmine Grant · Updated October 23, 2020
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LL Cool J and his wife of 24 years, Simone I. Smith, have joined forces on a new campaign with American Cancer Society. The message is near and dear to them—”Beat Cancer Like a Boss.”

In the 30-second public service announcement, LL Cool J addresses the disease head on.

“How did my wife Simone beat cancer? Like a boss,” he says at beginning of the video.

Article continues after video.

As the instrumentals for Meek Mill’s track “I’m A Boss” play in the background, celebrities like Mary J. Blige, Remy Ma, Jhene Aiko, Jordan Sparks, and Salt N’ Pepa appear to send messages of strength and empowerment to cancer patients and their families affected by the disease. To bring the story home, Simone shares her own testimony.

“Boss is battling cancer my finding your inner strength,” she says. “Cancer left its mark, but it couldn’t beat the boss within.”

LL Cool J and His Wife Simone Smith Team Up For The ‘Beat Cancer Like A Boss’ Campaign
The 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

In 2004, Simone was diagnosed with stage 3 chondrosarcoma—a rare type of bone cancer found in her right tibia bone. The treatment involved a 15-hour surgery to replace the bone followed by intense rehab. Fast forward to today, Simone is celebrating almost 15 years of being cancer free.

“I was in utter disbelief when I received my stage III diagnosis, but what I quickly learned with the support of my husband and family, was that cancer was not something that I had to let consume my inner being or personality,” Smith said in a statement. “With the help of ACS and a few friends, this campaign was created to empower women to lean onto their support system and tap into their strength to ‘Beat Cancer Like a Boss,’ a message I carried with me throughout my journey to recovery.”

To get more info on the “Beat Cancer Like A Boss” campaign and their celebrity partners, head to Cancer.org.

TOPICS:  Cancer Jhene Aiko LL Cool J Mary J. Blige simone smith