When I look back on my journey (diagnosed with breast cancer twice before the age of 40) I still feel that mix of shock, grief, strength, and purpose all at once. I was in the thick of life: building dreams, caring for my family, and like most women, trying to be everything for everybody. To this day I believe I stressed myself sick, ignoring the fact that stress doesn’t just steal your peace, it disrupts your immune system and breaks down your health. But here’s what I learned: surviving cancer isn’t only about medical treatment; it’s about our stories being seen, heard, and supported.
I’m stepping forward now as the President and Team Captain of the Greater Houston Chapter of Sisters Network Inc. because no Black sister should ever feel like she’s walking this storm alone. Sisters Network is the only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization — committed to increasing awareness, support, education, and care in communities like ours.
This walk is more than steps — it’s testimony. It’s healing. It's a bold acknowledgment that Black women matter in the fight against breast cancer. Your support drives education in our communities, outreach programs for early detection, and financial assistance for those in treatment. It helps erase racial disparities one sister at a time.
The hard truth is this: breast cancer doesn’t affect us equally. Across the United States, Black women are about 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, even though our overall risk of being diagnosed is similar or slightly lower. That means despite advances in early detection and treatment, Black women are still losing their lives at disproportionate rates.
It’s not just national — it’s right here in Houston too. Data from regional cancer research shows that Black women in the Houston area face higher breast cancer mortality rates than white women, with local reports identifying this disparity as a persistent issue tied to delayed diagnosis, limited access to care, and systemic barriers. In fact, in four out of five Houston-area counties, Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages. This isn’t just a number — it’s our mothers, daughters, sisters, relatives, and friends.
That’s why the newly formed Greater Houston Chapter’s inaugural participation in the Stop the Silence Walk matters so deeply. The “silence” doesn’t just refer to breast cancer — it refers to the cultural fear, the stigma, the late screenings, the unattended symptoms, the stories left untold. And every dollar raised helps Sisters Network continue its mission to spread awareness, support survivors and caregivers, and help make this journey a little easier for women and families right here at home.
Please join us — with your gift, your share, your cheer — and help us bring more hope, more resources, and more life to the Black women in Houston and beyond. Together, we will stop the silence and change the story.
Support Sisters Network. Save a sister. 💗
