SIS: Sisters in Survivorship

15: Why Black Women Are Dying From Breast Cancer More Than Anyone Else

In this powerful Best Of episode, leading doctors, survivors, and advocates unpack the real drivers behind the disparity, from genetic risk and aggressive cancers like triple negative breast cancer to delayed diagnosis and gaps in care. You’ll hear why many Black women are diagnosed younger, why current screening guidelines may fall short, and how lack of access and information continues to cost lives. More importantly, this episode is about what can be done. It’s about asking questions, pushing for answers, and advocating for your health at every stage. Because awareness alone isn’t enough. Remember, early detection and self-advocacy can save your life. KEY EPISODES:  * Triple Negative Breast Cancer Hits Black Women Harder | Dr. Lisa A. Newman Explains Why * Diagnosed Twice Before 40: Athena Jones on Early Detection & Surviving Breast Cancer * Breast Reconstruction After Cancer: What You Need to Know | Dr. Aisha Baron * Your Rights After a Cancer Diagnosis: Monica Bryant on Insurance, Work & Financial Protection * You Can’t Heal What You Don’t Reveal: Nettie Jones on Healing Breast Cancer Trauma  * A Sanctuary for Healing: How Dr. Ryland Gore Reimagines Breast Cancer Care for Black Women RESOURCES:  Website - sistersnetworkinc.org [https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/] IG -  @sistersnetwork [https://www.instagram.com/sistersnetwork/] YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast [https://m.youtube.com/@SisInSurvivorshipPodcast/featured]

14 :What Breast Cancer Survivors Want Every Woman to Know

This powerful “Best Of” episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship brings together the most impactful moments from the season, featuring breast cancer survivors, doctors, and advocates sharing what every woman needs to know. From early detection and self-advocacy to navigating diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer, this episode highlights the real experiences and expert insights that could save lives. You will hear from leading voices in breast cancer care alongside survivors who have turned their pain into purpose, offering guidance, clarity, and hope. This conversation also explores critical topics affecting Black women, including triple-negative breast cancer, rising diagnoses in younger women, the importance of listening to your body, advocating for yourself in the medical system, and understanding your treatment options. KEY EPISODES:  * How 4-Time Cancer Survivor Karen E. Jackson Pioneered the Black Breast Cancer Movement * Diagnosed Twice Before 40: Athena Jones on Early Detection & Surviving Breast Cancer * Love & Marriage: Huntsville’s Kimberlee Scott on Breast Cancer, Faith & Resilience * The Stress–Cancer Link: 2-Time Survivor Dee Manuel Cloud on Stress, Survival & Self-Advocacy * Your Care Should Fit YOU: How to Advocate for Treatment You Deserve | Dr. Nina Tamirisa * Grief After Cancer: Healing the Loss No One Talks About | Dr. John Onwuchekwa RESOURCES:  Website - sistersnetworkinc.org [https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/] IG -  @sistersnetwork [https://www.instagram.com/sistersnetwork/] YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast [https://m.youtube.com/@SisInSurvivorshipPodcast/featured]

Loving Your Body After Breast Cancer: Navigating Intimacy & Self-Worth

Breast cancer changes more than your body. In this powerful segment, Nettie Jones breaks down the emotional and relational impact of diagnosis, from intimacy and body image to self-worth and identity. She shares why healing starts with acknowledging where you are, not minimizing the experience, and how cancer can reveal the truth about your relationships and your relationship with yourself. RESOURCES:  Nettie Jones  Website - nettiejones.com [https://www.nettiejones.com/] Website - sistersnetworkinc.org [https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/] IG -  @sistersnetwork [https://www.instagram.com/sistersnetwork/] YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast [https://m.youtube.com/@SisInSurvivorshipPodcast/featured]

13: You Can’t Heal What You Don’t Reveal: Nettie Jones on Healing Breast Cancer Trauma

In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Nettie Jones, licensed psychotherapist, author of The Girlfriend’s Therapist Handbook [http://www.thegirlfriendstherapisthandbook.com/], and truth-teller known as “the girlfriend’s therapist.” Nettie brings decades of experience helping women navigate the hidden trauma behind breast cancer. She unpacks what it means to be labeled “strong,” why so many women silently unravel under the weight of expectations, and how therapy, truth-telling, and faith can help survivors reclaim their identity. From intimacy challenges to body image, from sitting in silence to asking for help, Nettie offers practical tools and hard questions that empower women to love themselves fully, even in a body they may no longer recognize. She also dives into generational trauma, why mental health in the Black community is finally being normalized, and how every woman can own her truth to begin real healing. If you’re a survivor, caregiver, or advocate, this conversation serves as a reminder that healing begins with honesty, and sisterhood can carry you the rest of the way. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org [https://sistersnetworkinc.org] 🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship KEY POINTS:  - [7:15] Why your relationship with yourself is the most important one - [10:25] Why being told “be strong” can be harmful - [11:28] Grieving the life you thought you’d have after diagnosis - [14:53] Breaking stigma: Black women and therapy - [17:10] Hard questions every woman must ask herself - [19:36] Intimacy, body image, and relationship struggles post-diagnosis - [23:36] Learning to love yourself in a body that’s changed - [26:50] Younger Black women on embracing therapy and wellness - [28:28] The link between mental health and disease outcomes - [31:27] Owning your truth as the first step to healing - [32:22] Practical tools: Nettie’s “Check-In Conversation Deck” - [36:59] Sitting in silence vs. knowing when to ask for help - [39:11] The role of Sisters Network in building community support - [40:11] Breaking generational patterns and choosing wellness - [42:31] Nettie’s book: The Girlfriend’s Therapist Handbook - [44:24] Why every woman needs therapy QUOTES: "You can't heal what you're not willing to reveal. Period." – Nettie Jones "It's really hard to learn to love a body that's changing when you didn't love the body you had." – Nettie Jones "Strength comes from surrendering, surrendering things that you can't change, but being okay with being able to do the things that you can change." – Nettie Jones "Your trauma is valid. Your tears are valid, and it's not too late to find your way back to yourself." – Nettie Jones "Healing doesn't start with your partner. It doesn't start with your job, and unfortunately, sometimes it uses pain to get to you." – Nettie Jones RESOURCES:  Nettie Jones  Website - nettiejones.com [https://www.nettiejones.com/] Website - sistersnetworkinc.org [https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/] IG -  @sistersnetwork [https://www.instagram.com/sistersnetwork/] YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast [https://m.youtube.com/@SisInSurvivorshipPodcast/featured]

Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy: Which Procedure Fits Your Care? | Dr. Ryland Gore

Breast cancer surgery decisions can feel overwhelming. In this segment, breast surgical oncologist Dr. Ryland Gore explains how doctors determine whether a patient needs a lumpectomy or mastectomy and why breast reconstruction should always be part of the conversation. She also addresses the disparities Black women face in breast cancer care and why many experts now recommend starting mammograms earlier.