As the classic Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks once touted in song, “A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.” Shanta Quilette Develle Carter-Williams, PhD, knows there’s truth to that. In addition to using her platform to bring the laughs, she’s also informing people about heart disease and helping to save lives, one TikTok at a time.
According to the Journal of Women’s Health, Black women have the highest rates among women in the U.S. for conditions like hypertension, as well as heart failure, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Carter-Williams, who has a PhD in public health, went through her own health crisis, surviving a heart attack and two strokes due to genetic heart disease. In the wake of that experience, she made some important life changes, better managing her stress, doing away with alcohol, exercising often, ditching wheat and grains that she says cause inflammation and more. She also began teaching people to prioritize and advocate for their personal wellness.
“Women are dying more, and Black women are dying higher than that,” she tells ESSENCE.
She has a TikTok, Hey Shanta Q, with 1.3 million followers. She also formed her company, Laughter on the Go, a firm “aimed at reshaping corporate and community cultures through the strategic use of humor.” She has shaped it into a nontraditional wellness platform that connects with audiences that might not be addressed by other creators.
“Short-form content is important because that’s where people are looking for their information,” she says. “People are not looking for information in commercials. They’re not looking at webinars.” She also educates via her YouTube and Instagram pages, and lobbies for healthcare access.
“I think it’s really important for us to keep our voices alive,” she says.
She approaches her content casually, combining comical skits with off-the-cuff speeches. From the ups and downs of parenting an adult child to keeping it real about sex after 50, everything is up for discussion. Amid all that, she schools her audience, sometimes reading from medical texts, offering advice on important lifestyle changes, and sharing her journey along the way. “I think it’s always good to research and make sure you’re looking up reputable things,” she says. She also believes adding humor and warmth can make anything easier to digest.
“Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is a good thing, and I think we all need it in all capacities of our life,” she says. “I don’t think it has to be restricted to a comedy stage.”
The warning signs of health crises can look different in a woman’s body. She describes them clearly but cheerfully. There are no stark lectures, just a relatable warmth to help viewers retain healthy tips and learn something new, including how 45 percent of women over the age of 20 have cardiovascular disease and are unaware of it.
“You don’t have to make everything, you know, so harsh and gooey,” she says. “Sometimes it’s dark, but it’s funny, and I think it allows people to be comfortable.”
It took multiple health events for Carter-Williams to become unapologetic about prioritizing her health. Now, she does so not only on social media but also by getting rest when she needs it and understanding the importance of self-care.
She also informed her family on how best to support her in the event of sudden challenges using the same methods she shares when connecting with her audience. For example, one clip on her TikTok features her grandson practicing CPR competently, showing her many followers he knows what to do if she should fall down.
“I think it’s important for everyone in my home to be proactive, no matter how young they are,” she says.
Proactively encouraging intervention saves lives. The Journal of Circulation reports that “Women who suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) less often than men,” making creating a plan necessary for all.
Carter-Williams mentions cases where women have died because only they knew what to do in the event of a crisis. “Nobody was CPR-trained around them, or there was a defibrillator around, and nobody knew where it was at or how to use it,” she says. So, it’s her mission to help people, in her home and out in the world, know everything they can to impact as many lives as possible when it comes to cardiovascular disease.
“A lot of times as women. We put everybody else before us, and we don’t even take time for ourselves, and so me teaching everyone in my house CPR, teaching everyone how to take care of me, is putting myself first.”
