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Breast cancer affected more than Aisha’s health. In this segment of SIS: Sisters in Survivorship, Aisha and DJ Patterson open up about what happened to their marriage when DJ shifted from husband to caregiver while raising four children, running a business, and helping Aisha through treatment during the pandemic. DJ shares the fear, depression, frustration, and lack of control he experienced, while the couple reflects on the family support that helped carry them through. RESOURCES Aisha Patterson  IG - @aisha_patterson Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

What happens when breast cancer hits a young family in the middle of raising children? In this deeply personal episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Aisha and DJ Patterson to talk about navigating breast cancer as a young married couple with four children. Diagnosed with Stage 2 triple-positive breast cancer at just 30 years old, Aisha was also the mother of a 4-month-old baby when her world changed overnight. Together, Aisha and DJ open up about fear, parenting through treatment, showing up for each other in crisis, and what it looked like to navigate breast cancer not as an individual battle, but as a family journey. Now in remission, Aisha reflects on how the experience changed her perspective, strengthened their partnership, and ultimately inspired a completely different vision for life, including relocating with their extended family and choosing a slower, more intentional life. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss as it highlights its impacts on marriage, motherhood, caregiving, and family resilience.  ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  00:00 – What a breast cancer diagnosis changes for the entire family 02:48 – Diagnosed at 30 while breastfeeding her four-month-old baby 05:45 – Facing chemotherapy, radiation, and a double mastectomy 06:45 – Learning to accept help during treatment 07:59 – Survivorship means living life with intention 08:43 – Finding identity and healing during isolation 11:06 – How breast cancer changed a husband’s role in the marriage 12:47 – The emotional toll of caregiving and uncertainty 14:00 – The importance of family support during treatment 21:04 – Rebuilding a marriage and life after cancer changed them both QUOTES  “Breast cancer didn’t just happen to me. It happened to our family.” “Sometimes the caregiver is trying to be strong while falling apart too.” “We built a different life after surviving this.” “I was supposed to be enjoying a newborn, not fighting cancer.” RESOURCES Aisha Patterson  IG - @aisha_patterson Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Dr. Mia K. Wright challenges the idea that faith and fear cannot coexist. She explains how fear can show up during a breast cancer journey without taking control, and why faith, intentional thinking, and self-advocacy can help women keep moving forward even on the hardest treatment days. RESOURCES Mia Knight Wright Website - www.miawright.com Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

In this uplifting episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen welcomes Pastor Mia K. Wright, co-pastor of Houston’s Fountain of Praise, motivational speaker, and powerful voice on faith, resilience, and healing. Together, they explore what it means to choose faith over fear in the face of uncertainty, how testimony and community can help women feel less alone, and why some of life’s hardest moments can become catalysts for transformation. Pastor Mia shares wisdom on purpose, emotional strength, fear, spiritual resilience, and the mindset needed to keep moving forward when life feels overwhelming. A breast cancer diagnosis doesn’t just impact the body, as it affects the mind, the spirit, the family, and the way you see your future. Listen in as this episode is for every woman navigating diagnosis, survivorship, fear, or uncertainty and needing hope. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  A diagnosis is not the end of your story Faith and fear can exist at the same time Hearing survivor testimony helps women feel seen and supported Many survivors discover meaning through their experience How women frame their diagnosis can shape their emotional experience Spiritual support  is part of the journey  Emotional strength can be built in uncertainty QUOTES  “Faith and fear can coexist, but which one are you going to feed?” – Mia Knight Wright “When you hear someone else’s testimony, you realize you’re not alone.” – Mia Knight Wright “Sometimes what tried to break you becomes the very thing that helps somebody else survive.” – Mia Knight Wright “How you feed your mind determines how you live this journey.” – Mia Knight Wright “Strength doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid.” – Mia Knight Wright RESOURCES Mia Knight Wright Website - www.miawright.com Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Dr. Taiwo Adesoye breaks down what researchers are learning about aggressive breast cancers in Black women, the advances transforming HER2-positive breast cancer treatment, and why the future of care may mean more targeted therapy and, for some patients, less treatment. She also shares how current research is moving closer to giving each woman exactly what her cancer requires. RESOURCES Dr. Taiwo Adesoye, MD, MPH Website - sistersnetworkinc.org/who-we-are/taiwo-adesoye-md-mph/  Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

In this powerful episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Dr. Taiwo Adesoye, breast surgical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, to unpack the latest breakthroughs in breast cancer treatment and what Black women need to know now. From HER2-positive breast cancer to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), Dr. Adesoye breaks down how targeted therapies, immunotherapy, biomarkers, and evolving research are transforming outcomes and giving patients more options than ever before. She also shares what compassionate cancer care truly looks like, why trust between patient and physician matters, and the urgent importance of Black women participating in clinical research so treatment innovations reflect the communities most impacted.  Ever felt overwhelmed by a diagnosis or unsure what questions to ask? This episode will offer you clarity, hope, and practical empowerment. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  Breast cancer treatment has evolved dramatically HER2-positive breast cancer is no longer what it used to be Immunotherapy is changing TNBC outcomes Biomarkers help personalize care Compassionate care matters Patients need to feel empowered to ask questions  Research is shaping less aggressive treatment approaches Innovation is creating real reasons for optimism QUOTES  “Patients are coming to us in some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and it is truly a privilege to walk alongside them.” – Dr. Taiwo Adesoye “Triple-negative breast cancer is aggressive, but immunotherapy has changed the conversation.” – Dr. Taiwo Adesoye “Biomarkers give us clues about how cancer may respond.” – Dr. Taiwo Adesoye “If Black women are not represented in these studies, then how do we know these treatments are truly serving us?” – Dr. Taiwo Adesoye RESOURCES Dr. Taiwo Adesoye, MD, MPH Website - https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/who-we-are/taiwo-adesoye-md-mph/  Website - https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/  IG -  https://www.instagram.com/sistersnetwork/

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 32, Amanda Butler's treatment became far more extensive than she expected. In this segment of SIS: Sisters in Survivorship, Amanda opens up about chemotherapy, radiation, double mastectomy, ongoing fatigue, and her difficult experience with cold capping and textured hair. She also shares how friends, family, and community made sure she didn't navigate treatment alone. RESOURCES Amanda Butler IG | @hiamandabutler Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

At 32, fitness professional Amanda Butler believed she was doing everything right. Then a breast self-exam uncovered a lump that would lead to a Stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis, a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, multiple surgeries, and a clinical trial. In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Amanda opens up about navigating breast cancer as a young Black woman, from having to advocate for fertility preservation before chemotherapy to grieving the loss of her breasts and rebuilding her relationship with her body. Now in remission, she shares why community became essential to her healing, how she turned her experience into a safe space for other survivors, and why women must keep advocating until they get the answers they deserve. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  [0:00] Introduction to Amanda Butler [3:27] Amanda discovers a lump at 32 despite no known family history of breast cancer. [5:30] Receiving a diagnosis alone and the fear of what cancer could mean for her future. [6:45] On chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and additional treatment. [8:44] The physical and emotional reality of cold capping, especially with textured hair. [12:24] Advocacy for fertility preservation after her doctors fail to initially present it as an option. [14:50] Confronting grief, body image, loss of control, and learning to love her body. [20:01] Her cancer journey online grows into a community and safe space for other survivors. [25:10] Young Black women to take action even when scared and keep advocating for answers. QUOTES  “Take action, even when you're scared. It's really important to advocate for your health, especially as a Black woman in the medical space.” – Amanda Butler  “It's really important that you show your doctor that you are human, and that this is also your life, and to continue advocating until you get your answers.” – Amanda Butler  “So many people mistake a double mastectomy as free implants, a free boob job, and it's not. It's an amputation.” – Amanda Butler  “If you really take care of your mind and your body, when these things come at you sideways, and it's a shock, you will be prepared.” – Amanda Butler  RESOURCES Amanda Butler IG | @hiamandabutler Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Bershan Shaw opens up about the mental and emotional realities of long-term breast cancer survivorship, from depression and scanxiety to losing seven women from her clinical trial. Seventeen years after her Stage IV diagnosis, she explains why survivors must speak up, why their visibility gives newly diagnosed women hope, and why Black women must stop letting fear keep them from screenings and honest conversations about their health. RESOURCES Bershan Shaw  Website - bershanshaw.com IG - @bershanshaw Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in her early 30s and given just three months to live, Bershan Shaw was told the odds were against her. That was 17 years ago. In this powerful episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, former Real Housewives of New York personality, and breast cancer advocate Bershan Shaw shares her extraordinary survival story. From the terrifying moment seven doctors walked in to deliver her terminal diagnosis, to navigating aggressive treatment, grief, fear, and uncertainty, Bershan opens up about how mindset, movement, faith, and radical self-belief became part of her healing journey. Tune in as she also speaks candidly about mental health, survivorship, why Black women must stop being afraid of screenings, and the urgent need for long-term survivors to share their stories so newly diagnosed women can see what hope looks like. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  00:00 – Introduction 02:11 – How severe back pain led to Bershan’s stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis and being told it was terminal. 03:49 – After receiving the diagnosis, Bershan made a promise to God to use her life to motivate and transform others. 06:00 – Seventeen years later, Bershan has no evidence of disease and is not just surviving, but thriving. 06:13 – Why Black women’s participation in clinical trials matters for better data, research, and treatment. 09:48 – Long-term survivors need to share their stories so newly diagnosed women can see what survival can look like. 11:31 – Mental health is a regimen: Bershan uses meditation, journaling, movement, faith, and positive thinking daily. 13:02 – Fear keeps too many women from screenings, but avoiding breast health conversations can have serious consequences. 18:42 – Bershan’s message to newly diagnosed women: “Your cancer is not a death sentence.” QUOTES  “Your cancer is not a death sentence.” – Bershan Shaw “Cancer was my gift because it woke me up to living.”  – Bershan Shaw “Your mindset matters just as your medicine.” – Bershan Shaw “Hope matters. Hope really matters.” – Bershan Shaw RESOURCES Bershan Shaw  Website - bershanshaw.com IG - @bershanshaw Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Breast reconstruction isn't one-size-fits-all—and it doesn't have to happen immediately. In this conversation, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Camille Cash explains the reconstruction options available after breast cancer, why every woman deserves to understand her choices, and the little-known law that requires insurance to cover reconstruction. Whether you're considering implants, using your own tissue, going flat, or simply aren't ready to decide, this episode offers the guidance every survivor deserves before making one of the biggest decisions of her journey. RESOURCES Dr. Camille Cash Website - www.camillecashmd.com IG - @realdrcash Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Breast reconstruction after breast cancer is about far more than appearance. It’s about healing, identity, dignity, and knowing your options. In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with renowned board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Camille Cash to break down what every Black woman needs to know about breast reconstruction after a breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. Camille Cash explains the full range of reconstruction options, from implants and tissue expanders to using your own tissue, delayed reconstruction, and choosing not to reconstruct at all. She also reveals why many Black women are still less likely to undergo reconstruction, even when insurance and access are not the barrier. This conversation also tackles the realities of radiation, lifelong surveillance after breast cancer, early diagnosis in younger women, the importance of 3D mammograms, and why advocating for yourself could save your life. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  [0:00] – Introduction [3:31] – Dr. Camille Cash on being double board certified [6:30] – A breast cancer diagnosis often comes before reconstruction is even discussed [8:10] – Breast reconstruction is covered by law, like future revisions & symmetry procedures [9:39] – Reconstruction is optional [13:23] – Understanding implant-based vs. tissue-based reconstruction helps women make informed decisions [22:42] – Black women are choosing breast reconstruction at lower rates [24:57] – More young women are being diagnosed with aggressive breast cancers [31:28] – Breast reconstruction is about more than appearance [35:59] – Every woman deserves to know reconstruction options and community education  QUOTES  “Reconstruction isn’t just about looking good. It’s about healing and restoring identity.” – Dr. Camille Cash “One of the number one risk factors of breast cancer is having previous breast cancer.”  – Dr. Camille Cash “They still have the right to know about their reconstructive options, even if they decide they don’t want to do it.”  – Dr. Camille Cash RESOURCES Dr. Camille Cash Website - www.camillecashmd.com IG - @realdrcash Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Brooklyn Olumba shares how her breast cancer diagnosis at 28 led her to become the voice she was once searching for. In this segment, she opens up about feeling alone as a young Black woman in treatment, finding community online, and turning her story into advocacy, awareness, and hope for others. RESOURCES Brooklyn Olumba  Website - www.breastcancer.org/bio/brooklyn-olumba  IG - @brooklyn_style/  Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast

Despite being BRCA2 positive and under annual MRI surveillance since age 25, Brooklyn Olumba was diagnosed (at age 28) with hormone-positive breast cancer while in the middle of building her life, career, and future. In this powerful Season 2 premiere of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Brooklyn shares her journey as a young Black breast cancer survivor, from discovering her genetic risk and navigating treatment during the height of COVID, to facing financial toxicity, fertility decisions, reconstruction, and survivorship. She opens up about the moment she “pocketed” her diagnosis and kept working, why Black families must stop treating family health history like a secret, and how her twin sister’s preventative double mastectomy changed both of their lives. Now a passionate breast cancer advocate, Brooklyn uses her platform to help young women understand their risk, ask better questions, and advocate for themselves before it’s too late. ✨ Learn more: ⁠⁠sistersnetworkinc.org⁠⁠  🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS  [0:00] – Introduction [2:26] – Breast cancer can happen in your 20s [4:54] – Black women often "pocket" their pain [13:17] – Fertility decisions during cancer are overwhelming [16:59] – Family history isn't private information [21:12] – Community is part of healing [25:56] – Hope is something survivors can give each other [31:54] – Advocacy starts with asking questions [33:58] – Financial toxicity is part of the cancer journey QUOTES  “I pocketed it. And I think that is something, as Black women, that we do often. We just pocket it, and we say we’ll deal with it later.” – Brooklyn Olumba “A lot of times we think our disease is just your business only, but it impacts the whole family.”  – Brooklyn Olumba “Even asking your doctor questions is being an advocate for yourself.”  – Brooklyn Olumba RESOURCES Brooklyn Olumba  Website - ⁠⁠www.breastcancer.org/bio/brooklyn-olumba⁠⁠  IG - ⁠⁠@brooklyn_style/⁠⁠  Website - ⁠⁠sistersnetworkinc.org⁠⁠ IG -  ⁠⁠@sistersnetwork⁠⁠ YouTube Channel - ⁠⁠@SisInSurvivorshipPodcast⁠⁠

Welcome to Season 2 of SIS: Sisters in Survivorship, the official podcast of Sisters Network Inc.! In Season 1, we focused on awareness, education, and the realities of the breast cancer crisis facing Black women. We explored the statistics, the disparities, and the information every woman should know. Season 2 moves beyond the numbers and into the lived experiences behind them. Through honest conversations with survivors, caregivers, advocates, and medical experts, your host Caleen Allen explores what breast cancer actually feels like. From the shock of diagnosis to the uncertainty of treatment, these stories reveal the emotional realities that are often left out of the conversation.  You'll also hear how community, representation, and sisterhood can make all the difference when navigating a diagnosis. These conversations at SIS: Sisters in Survivorship are a reminder that early detection saves lives, asking questions matters, and no woman should feel like she has to navigate breast cancer on her own.  Tune in as this season is all about understanding what it means to live, heal, grow, and find purpose after everything changes.  RESOURCES Website - sistersnetworkinc.org IG -  @sistersnetwork YouTube Channel - @SisInSurvivorshipPodcast