Karen E. Jackson, Founder and CEO of Sisters Network Inc., is making significant strides in advocating for early breast cancer detection, especially within the African American community.
Her journey as a breast cancer survivor started in 1993, and she is now a 31-year four-time breast cancer survivor. Her experience not only shaped her personal fight against the disease but also inspired her to create a network of support for women of color battling breast cancer.
Jackson’s breast cancer diagnosis didn’t come easily. Despite diligently getting mammograms each year due to her family history—her mother’s sister passed away from breast cancer—Jackson felt a strange sensation in her breast that her mammograms didn’t detect. Her doctor initially dismissed her concerns, attributing them to her age. However, Jackson pushed for an ultrasound, which ultimately revealed that she had stage two breast cancer.
“That ultrasound showed that the cancer had been in my breast for several years,” Jackson recalls. “I was feeling a sensation in my breast, but I couldn’t explain it. I knew I had to advocate for myself and ask for a test beyond the mammogram.”
She said fifteen percent of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not find their cancer with a mammogram citing her own experience as proof of the need for supplemental screening methods like ultrasounds.
Once she received her diagnosis, Jackson found strength in taking immediate action. She prioritized finding a cancer center and a breast cancer oncologist, emphasizing that having the right medical team made all the difference. She also took control of her treatment, learning about her condition, lymphedema—a lifetime condition resulting from the removal of lymph nodes—and the necessary therapies to manage it.
“I knew that no matter how much insurance you have, you cannot get a therapist to afford every day. So I learned how to do the lymph drainage myself,” Jackson explains. Now, more than 30 years later, she continues her daily self-care routine, which includes swimming and walking to stay fit.
She recognized the emotional and psychological need for community—a sisterhood of women who understood what she was going through. However, she struggled to find that support in existing groups, which were not specifically geared toward African American women.
“I was missing that feeling of being surrounded by my sisters,” Jackson says. “That’s why I was looking for a sisterhood, and I didn’t find it.”
Founding Sisters Network Inc.
In 1994, driven by the absence of culturally relevant breast cancer organizations, Jackson founded Sisters Network Inc. Her goal was to provide Black women with the knowledge, support, and resources they needed to fight breast cancer, starting earlier than the standard guidelines.
“There was no organization that was talking about early detection specifically for Black women,” she says. “We were dying before we got to 40, so I started promoting screening at 35, including the baseline mammogram and ultrasound.”
The organization, headquartered in Houston, has grown into a national movement with affiliate chapters nationwide. Jackson refers to these chapters as “Survivor Boots on the Ground,” providing mammograms and breast health education to Black women everywhere.
Jackson also points out the cultural challenges she faced when founding Sisters Network. In the early 1990s, breast cancer was rarely discussed in the Black community. “Black women weren’t even saying the word cancer, much less breast cancer,” she says. “There was a silence, and that silence was killing us.”
Sisters Network has since worked tirelessly to break that silence, focusing on education, advocacy, and early detection. The organization’s annual events, including the National African American Breast Cancer Conference and the Stop the Silence Walk, have raised awareness and provided vital resources to needy women.
Jackson is adamant about the need for young women, especially Black women, to be proactive about breast cancer screening. African American women are diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages and face higher mortality rates compared to other racial groups. “Early detection saves lives,” she says. “I’m a 31-year survivor, and I’ve had breast cancer four times. I beat it each time because I found it early.”
For those under 40 who struggle to access screenings, Sisters Network provides free mammograms through its national and affiliate chapters. Jackson continues to advocate for the medical community to lower the recommended screening age, a battle she believes will save more lives.
Her work through Sisters Network has not only saved lives but also fostered a community of empowered women who are armed with the knowledge and resources to fight breast cancer. As she reflects on her journey, Jackson’s message remains clear: “Knowledge is power. That’s what’s going to save your life.”
