The Faces of My Sister's Keeper

One in eight women in the United States will have breast cancer in their lifetime. For African Americal Women, the racial disparities present a frightening reality. Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women. We are also two times more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, which is a very aggressive type of breast cancer. Among all racial and ethnic groups, African Americal Women have the LOWEST survival rate at every stage of diagnosis. 

This project utilized art to conveny the strength, courage, and motivation of women currently undergoing cancer treatment.  Healthcare has incorporated Art Therapy in various forms of treatment and recovery practices.  Visual arts have contributed to modes of therapy that contributes to relaxation techniques that improves the overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. The Faces of My Sister’s Keeper will highlight not only the women currently undergoing treatment that will enhance their own self awareness and well-being, but to introduce the community to the benefits of the arts as therapy.

Through the Faces of My Sister's Keeper, we will hire artists to paint portraits for women currently undergoing cancer treatment.  We will also hire these women as models as many are currently unable to work and/or have minimal access to funds.  The portraits will then be auctioned off to help support more women to obtain supportive care services and/or provide utility assistance to those in need, so that they can focus more on healing.

My Sister's Keeper - Cleveland (MySKCle) is a non-profit organization that derived from my own journey with breast cancer.  MySKCle provides supportive care services to women undergoing cancer treatment.  These services include lawn care, meal deliveries, support groups, and counseling, group fitness, make-up services, and so much more.  The idea behind our approach is to ensure that the essence of self is not lost during treatment.  We also want to reduce the amount of stress that is endured during treatment by helping our sisters so that they can focus more on healing.  This often includes financial assistance that is raised through our Project Hope campaign. 

Project Hope recognizes and shares the stories of 2 women currently undergoing cancer treatment each month.  By sharing their stories, donations are collected that are directly applied to our featured sisters to help with expenses associate with their medical treatment that includes utility payment.

The Many Faces of My Sisters Keeper is a multi-factor fundraising effort established to:

1. Raise awareness and the impact of cancer in the African American Community 

2. Utilize the arts as a mechanism of healing.

3. Serve as a mechanism to give women currently undergoing treatment a reason to celebrate life, and see their beauty beyond cancer. 

June 15nd - Scout artists and Begin promoting the project

July 10th - Matching process - match artist with model

August 1st - Final paints due

August 11-14  - Display at UH Seidman Cancer Center

TBD   -  Display at UH Seidman Cancer Center

August 11 -  Virtual Auction to begin

Healthcare disparities have been a growing issue within the African American Community.  However, since the rise of COVID-19, we are meeting more and more young women (12-32) who were diagnosed with cancer.  Many are in stage 4.  This raises the concern as education and preventative measures are needed to bend the curve.  These issues span far beyond healthcare disparities and incorporate our own knowledge and awareness of medical conditions that are a threat to us all.  Moreover, we need to know ourselves better.  We want/need to arm our community with the tools, knowledge, and resources, with efforts to reduce mortality.  Early prevention, education, and awareness are key. 

I started My Sisters Keeper as a response to my own cancer journey. At the age of 32, with no history of breast cancer, I faced the most difficult moment in my life because of my lack of knowledge, understanding, and overall education of cancer.  Because of this outlook, or lack thereof, I planned to die.  I had no one to talk to to help me understand the reasons and understand that cancer isn't a death sentence. When undergoing chemotherapy and after several surgeries, my journey got even darker.  I didn't recognize myself when looking in the mirror, so I stopped.  I felt like a stranger in my own skill - an alien - not beautiful, not a woman.  I didn't recognize the responses I gave to people in casual conversations, so I bottled up.  I didn't understand the look of sadness people gave when they looked at me.  At that time, I changed my perspective - I decided to live. I began researching on my own, using art (make up) as a form of revitilizing myself  making changes my outward appearance. This armed me with the resources I needed to win my battle - courage and self esteem.  My community helped me live by providing me hope and showing me I was not alone in my battle.   Because of this experience, I wanted to recreate this for other women who are undergoing any cancer treatment.