SIS: Sisters in Survivorship

Sisters Network
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Semiweekly

SIS: Sisters In Survivorship amplifies the voices of Black women navigating breast cancer and gives every sister the tools to advocate, heal, and thrive. Presented by Sisters Network Inc., the nation’s only African American breast cancer survivorship organization, SIS: Sisters In Survivorship is where truth meets healing. Each episode amplifies real stories from survivors, caregivers, and advocates while bringing expert insight from leading doctors and researchers. Together, we break the silence on the Black breast cancer crisis and give you the tools to take action. From early detection and mammograms, to genetic risk, triple negative breast cancer, mental health, motherhood, and survivorship, SIS provides culturally relevant insight, resources, and sisterhood that speak directly to our community. Hosted by Caleen Allen, SIS is not just a podcast - it’s a lifeline. Because too many sisters are being diagnosed young, too many are being dismissed by the system, and too many are being lost before their time. Every sister deserves to be seen. Every sister deserves to be heard. Every sister deserves to be supported. Subscribe now and join the movement to stop the silence, amplify the voices, and save more lives.

  1. 6d ago

    When Fear Shows Up During Breast Cancer, Faith Can Still Lead | Dr. Mia K. Wright

    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

  2. Sep 30

    21: Breast Cancer & the “Strong Black Woman” Myth: Finding Your Voice After Diagnosis | Dr. Mia K. Wright

    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

  3. Sep 23

    How HER2 Breast Cancer Treatment Has Changed (and What Comes Next) | Dr. Taiwo Adesoye

    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

  4. Sep 16

    20: Breast Cancer Treatment Is Becoming More Personalized. Here’s What That Means for Patients | Dr. Taiwo Adesoye

    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/

  5. Sep 9

    The Reality of Cold Capping for Black Women During Chemotherapy | Amanda Butler

    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

  6. Sep 2

    19: Breast Cancer at 32: The Diagnosis That Changed How Amanda Butler Saw Her Body, Health & Life

    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

  7. Aug 26

    “We Have to Stop Being Afraid”: Bershan Shaw on Breast Cancer and Mental Health

    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

  8. Aug 19

    18: Given 3 Months to Live: How Bershan Shaw Survived Stage IV Breast Cancer 17 Years Later

    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

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About

SIS: Sisters In Survivorship amplifies the voices of Black women navigating breast cancer and gives every sister the tools to advocate, heal, and thrive. Presented by Sisters Network Inc., the nation’s only African American breast cancer survivorship organization, SIS: Sisters In Survivorship is where truth meets healing. Each episode amplifies real stories from survivors, caregivers, and advocates while bringing expert insight from leading doctors and researchers. Together, we break the silence on the Black breast cancer crisis and give you the tools to take action. From early detection and mammograms, to genetic risk, triple negative breast cancer, mental health, motherhood, and survivorship, SIS provides culturally relevant insight, resources, and sisterhood that speak directly to our community. Hosted by Caleen Allen, SIS is not just a podcast - it’s a lifeline. Because too many sisters are being diagnosed young, too many are being dismissed by the system, and too many are being lost before their time. Every sister deserves to be seen. Every sister deserves to be heard. Every sister deserves to be supported. Subscribe now and join the movement to stop the silence, amplify the voices, and save more lives.

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