Sisters Network® Inc. (SNI) is a leading voice and only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States. Founded in 1994, Sisters Network is governed by an elected Board of Directors and assisted by an appointed Medical Advisory Board.
The organization’s purpose is to save lives and provide a broader scope of knowledge that addresses the breast cancer survivorship crisis affecting African American women around the country. SNI is a nationally recognized organization among leading medical establishments and breast cancer physicians as a critical information resource for African American women.
Under the direction of Founder & CEO, Karen E Jackson, a visionary and 18 year breast cancer survivor, SNI continues to develop new chapters and expand the national outreach through its 40 affiliate survivor run chapters nationwide.
At the core of Sisters Network mission is support, outreach and education. During 2010, Sisters’ breast health outreach initiatives impacted an estimated 4.6 million families.
The Facts: Breast Cancer and African American Women:
- In 2011, an estimated 26,840 new cases of breast cancer and 6,040 deaths are expected to occur among African American women.
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African American women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among this ethnic group, surpassed only by lung cancer.
- African American women’s five-year survival rate of breast cancer is 78%, compared to white women’s of 90%. **
- The incidence of breast cancer among women under 45 is higher for African American women compared to white women, however, the risk of breast cancer for all women increases with age.
- African American women have the lowest cause-specific survival rate of any racial or ethnic group, indicating that they have the greatest probability of dying of breast cancer. **
- African American women are more likely to be diagnosed with larger tumors and more advanced stages of breast cancer despite a lower incidence rate.
- The risk of breast cancer for all women increases with age.
**American Cancer Society
To learn more about Sisters Network visit www.sistersnetworkinc.org.
