The President’s Letter

Calendar 23 can you believe it? For the past 23 years, Breast Cancer Survivors have shared their stories of hope in our calendar. Their stories not only provide first-person accounts to the community of the importance of self-awareness in early cancer detection, but also spread the word about cancer prevention methods and offer encouragement to those who someday may cope with a cancer diagnosis.  We are truly blessed by their courage and wisdom.

I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all our Sisters’ Journey board members and volunteers who have been instrumental in our efforts to continually promote breast cancer awareness and life-saving early detection during the past year.  There was no stopping our passion and mission.  Even during a worldwide pandemic, we are growing and evolving.

A big shout out to board member/breast cancer survivor Lynn Sistruck for her community outreach efforts in Fairfield County, and for facilitation our second zoom support group meeting that adds Thursday night to our already longstanding Tuesday night gathering.  This year we are happy to have so many survivors from Bridgeport area and to have had the opportunity to participate in activities in that part of our state – events such as volunteering at Wades’ Dairy food drive, marching in the Juneteenth Parade, and of course our Mask giveaways in Bridgeport as well as Hartford and New Haven.

To the 12 survivors featured in the 2022 calendar thank you for being so strong, and for moving so quickly when you felt something that you knew wasn’t right, or when you received the news, you had a life-threatening disease. The news was devasting and broke you down for the moment, but you got yourself together, put in the work that you needed to, and leaned heavily on your faith to pull you through. You are thriving and we are so glad to meet you, appreciate you, and thank you for your shared messages. Welcome to the Sisters’ Journey family!

Even though we will not get together in person for another year, we will celebrate these 12 fabulous ladies on a billboard and on city buses throughout the state. So, be on the lookout!

Everyone’s discovery is different. Everyone’s journey is different. Even though we continue to learn from the stories in each year’s calendar, this calendar in particular compels me to remind everyone of the three actions of early detection:

• Perform your monthly self-breast exams.
• Have your doctor perform yearly clinical breast exams.
• Get Your yearly mammograms and ultrasounds (ultrasounds if you have dense breast or other breast issues.

Peace and Blessings,

Dawn White-Bracey

President Of Sisters’ Journey