Sisters Network Memphis – Memphis Flyer

The Memphis chapter of Sisters Network, a national organization composed of African-American breast cancer survivors, is hosting its third annual “1st Ladies Prayer Brunch” this Saturday.

The prayer brunch will take place at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn (3700 Central Ave.) Saturday, November 2nd. It will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Well-known pastor Rev. Percy McCray, director of Pastoral Care for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), will be the keynote speaker at the brunch. McCray will share an inspirational message on the importance of patients and their families utilizing faith and spirituality when battling something as challenging as breast cancer.

The event will also feature a networking session, panel discussion, and an opportunity for attendees to participate in a question and answer session with medical experts. The overall objective of the prayer brunch is to encourage women to take their health more seriously and also embrace their relationship with God to help fight obstacles such as breast cancer.

In the U.S., more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). In 2013, more than 27,000 African-American women are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 6,000 of these women will succumb to it.

Although white women are diagnosed with breast cancer twice as much as African-American women, black women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer, according to ACS. This is largely attributed to them being more susceptible to “triple negative breast cancer” (breast cancer not caused by the three usual receptors known to fuel most breast cancers: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2). Black women are also statistically more likely to lack insurance coverage and less likely to undergo normal visits to the doctor for health screenings.

For more information on the prayer brunch, contact Sisters Network Memphis president Carolyn Whitney at (901) 789-7239 or visit sistersnetworkmemphis.org

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At age 77, Ella Thompson was met with the harsh reality that she had breast cancer.

While laying in bed one night, she discovered some nodules in her right breast.

“I thought perhaps they were cysts, and I could press them and get the liquid out, but that didn’t happen. They remained there,” Thompson recalled. “I went to a doctor and had him check it out. He sent me to have a mammogram, and it verified that I had cancer. It was a shock.”

Prior to discovering the nodules, Thompson hadn’t had a mammogram in a couple years. The National Cancer Institute recommends that women age 40 or older have mammograms done every one to two years.

“I try to encourage anyone who discovers something to follow through with examination, and get the mammogram every year,” Thompson said. “We fear the pain of the mammogram [but] that’s short term.”

February 17, 2004 marks the day that Thompson was informed that she had Stage 2a (IIA) breast cancer. In March of that year, she had a mastectomy done to her right breast. She underwent six chemotherapy treatments following her surgery.

Fortunate enough to not experience any hair loss or other side effects associated with breast cancer, it took Thompson a few years to overcome her battle with cancer. She’s remained cancer-free ever since.

“If you get the diagnosis, it is not a death sentence. There is life after diagnosis,” Thompson said. “If you have the faith and you have a positive attitude, you can overcome adversities, as long as you trust in God and do things that you should to further your health.”

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 27,000 African-American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year; more than 6,000 of these women are estimated to succumb to the disease. Black women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, according to ACS. However, white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a higher rate than black women.

Thompson is a member of the Memphis chapter of Sisters Network, a national organization composed of African-American breast cancer survivors. The organization seeks to increase local and national attention on the impact of breast cancer, which affects more than 200,000 women annually.

In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sisters Network Memphis will host its 9th Annual Gift for Life Block Walk on Saturday, October 19th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Promise Land Church (3430 Overton Crossing). The Block Walk will be followed by a Health Fair, which will feature more than 30 health vendors, free food and haircuts, door prizes, and allow women to apply for mammogram screening. The Health Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church as well.

For more information on the Block Walk or Health Fair, contact Sisters Network Memphis president Carolyn Whitney at (901) 789-7239 or visit sistersnetworkmemphis.org

Click here to check out a recent Memphis Flyer article on Sisters Network Memphis

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