SIS: Sisters in Survivorship

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 con...

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 l...

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...

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. RESOUR...

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, 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...

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 e...

In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen welcomes Dr. Ryland Gore, a surgical oncologist who shares her powerful journey from working in a traditional practice to founding the Dream Breast Care Center in Atlanta—a sanctuary designed to provide compassionate, patient-centered, and culturally attuned care, particularly for Black women facing breast cancer. Dr. Gore opens up...

What happens when cancer or chronic illness leaves you unable to work? In this powerful segment, Monica Bryant, Esq., founder of Triage Cancer, breaks down Social Security Disability benefits, including SSI and SSDI, why most applications are denied, and why appeals matter. She also shares critical guidance on legal support, contingency lawyers, hospital charity care, and how survivors can take sm...

In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Caleen Allen sits down with Monica Bryant, Esq - lawyer, Chief Mission Officer of Triage Cancer, and national advocate for cancer patients’ rights. Monica breaks down the complicated but critical issues every cancer patient and caregiver needs to understand, from health insurance and job protection to medical leave, COBRA, disability benefits, and f...

Breast reconstruction after cancer is not about vanity. In this powerful segment, Dr. Aisha Baron explains how reconstruction plays a critical role in healing, dignity, and body autonomy after treatment. Drawing from both her medical expertise and lived experience, Dr. Baron breaks down why many women, especially Black women, are not given full information about their options and why reconstructio...

Breast reconstruction after cancer is not about vanity - it’s about healing, dignity, and choice. In this powerful episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Caleen Allen sits down with Dr. Aisha Baron, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and breast cancer survivor, to break down what Black women need to know about breast reconstruction after mastectomy or lumpectomy. Dr. Baron expl...

Breast cancer can be isolating especially for young Black women. In this powerful segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Kiara Prince opens up about the hardest parts of her diagnosis: telling her family, carrying the physical and emotional weight alone, and navigating treatment while the world keeps moving. Kiara shares how visibility on social media became a lifeline, why seeing other young...

At 36 years old, Kiara Prince was diagnosed with breast cancer with no family history, no genetic risk, and no warning signs. In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Kiara shares how she discovered her lump by accident, what it felt like to hear the words “you have breast cancer” at such a young age, and how she navigated the overwhelming decisions around surgery, treatment, and hormone t...

In this powerful segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Dr. April Spencer, board-certified breast surgeon and author of Treat It, Beat It, Move On, explains why true healing requires more than surgery or chemo. Dr. Spencer challenges women to become the “surgeons” of their own lives by cutting out toxic people, environments, and habits that no longer serve them. She reframes cancer not as an o...

In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Caleen Allen welcomes Dr. April Spencer, nationally recognized breast surgeon, author, and advocate known as the “praying surgeon.”  With over 20 years of experience in breast oncology, Dr. Spencer blends medical expertise with faith, helping women not only treat breast cancer but also beat it and ultimately move on. She shares the philosophy behind...

When a woman is first diagnosed with breast cancer, the fear and overwhelm can be paralyzing. In this segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Dr. Nina Tamirisa, breast surgical oncologist at MD Anderson, breaks down exactly how she helps patients quiet the noise, understand their diagnosis, and make informed decisions about treatment. Dr. Tamirisa shares the key questions every woman should ask...

In this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Dr. Nina Tamirisa, breast surgical oncologist and associate professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Known for her patient-first philosophy, Dr. Tamirisa breaks down what every woman should know about breast surgery, treatment options, and advocating for yourself. From lumpectomy vs. mastectomy to breast reconstructio...

On today’s episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with Dee Manuel Cloud, a two-time breast cancer survivor, recovery strategist, and unapologetic truth-teller. Diagnosed first at 35 (and again at 38), Dee shares how stress, suppressed emotions, and “suffering in silence” shaped her journey as well as how she transformed her pain into purpose. From leaving an unhappy m...

In this powerful segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, two-time breast cancer survivor Dee Manuel Cloud breaks down the truth about survivorship and why it doesn’t end when you ring the bell. She explains how stress weakens the immune system, why Black women face higher mortality rates, and how the “Strong Black Woman” narrative leads to burnout, suppressed emotions, and poor health outcomes....

When doctors dismiss your symptoms, it can cost you everything. In this powerful segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, award-winning journalist and two-time breast cancer survivor Athena Jones shares why Black women must challenge their doctors, push for screening, and ask for proof — not reassurance. She explains how insisting on answers saved a 31-year-old woman’s life, why bringing someone...

On today's episode, award-winning journalist and former CNN correspondent Athena Jones opens up about her journey as a two-time breast cancer survivor.  Athena shares how early detection, resilience, and advocacy shaped her fight for breast cancer. She discusses the disparities affecting Black women, the urgent need for research and policy change, and her forthcoming documentary, Sisters Keepers,...

Black breast cancer survivors carry invisible grief - the loss of hair, fertility, mobility, relationships, and life before diagnosis. In this powerful 5-minute segment from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Dr. John Onwuchekwa reframes grief as a language, not a journey. He explains why joy and sadness can coexist, why “getting over it” is the wrong expectation, and how learning to speak grief brings...

Grief is more than death. Sometimes, it’s seen in the silent ache of lost selves, broken bonds, changing bodies, and futures that never arrived. In this conversation, Dr. John Onwuchekwa helps us reframe grief not as a journey with an end, but as a language we must learn to speak. As an Atlanta-based pastor, author, and entrepreneur, John shares why grief so often feels isolating, how every grief...

When Love & Marriage: Huntsville star Kimberlee Scott faced triple negative breast cancer, she leaned on faith, family, and a village of support to get through. In this powerful clip from SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Kimberlee opens up about the unexpected blessings that carried her through treatment — from her husband’s unwavering love to friends who showed up on her hardest days. She also share...

On this episode of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, host Caleen Allen sits down with reality star and breast cancer survivor Kimberlee Scott from Love & Marriage: Huntsville. Known for her transparency and courage, Kimberlee opens up about her 2022 diagnosis with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer that disproportionately impacts Black women. In thi...