Health

Cierra Sisters: Breaking the Cycle of Fear for Women with Breast Cancer

Published

11 years ago

May 16, 2015

Bridgette Hempstead, founder and president of Cierra Sisters, a breast cancer awareness and support group for African American women, looks to educate and empower men and women about the realities of breast cancer in the African American community. (Chris B. Bennett/The Seattle Medium)

By Chris Bennett
Special to the NNPA from The Seattle Medium

Three days after being diagnosed with breast cancer on her 35th birthday Bridgette Hempstead, the mother of three daughters and a two-time breast cancer survivor, laid the foundation for a grassroots organization that has played an important role in educating, empowering and supporting African American women who have been diagnosed with cancer and cancer survivors.

Hempstead’s organization, Cierra Sisters, is dedicated to help break the cycle of fear and increase knowledge about breast cancer in the African American and underserved communities locally and nationwide.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that occur in African American women, and ranks 2nd in all cancer-related deaths among African American women – who often receive a diagnosis in the late stages of the disease.

After her first diagnosis with cancer, Hempstead realized that there was a lack of information, education and resources targeting African American women as it relates to breast cancer and overnight she literally became one of the biggest advocates for women of color in the Seattle area.

“Right after my diagnosis I went on a very strong quest to start educating my friends, my family, and people in the community, and that was three days after my diagnosis before I even went in to have my initial surgery,” said Hempstead.

After her initial surgery and getting through that process, Hempstead’s doctors noticed her strength, courage and how she kept her fight with breast cancer into a proper perspective.

“My doctors were saying you’re really powerful, you’re not afraid, and you’re going through this head-on and they were saying that everybody doesn’t react like this and would you please start talking to the women,” recalled Hempstead.

According to Hempstead, the doctors started referring patients to her, and she began organizing the women to support each other through a buddy system.

“By the sixth month it was too many women coming to me, so we started to meet at [a local coffee house],” said Hempstead. “By that time I was so knowledgeable about the treatments, different options and how important it was to have a support it just started to develop into what Cierra Sisters is today.”

According to Hempstead, they choose the name Cierra because it is an African word that means knowing, and it also meant the color of brown – which represents the communities that they serve.

“I interpreted it as, if you have knowledge you have the power to fight against the effects of breast cancer,” said Hempstead.

Today, the organization, which operates on a very limited budget, has created awareness about the disease in underserved communities that, according to some cancer advocates, is unmatched by larger organizations with much larger budgets. The organization holds monthly meetings at the Rainier Beach Community Center, where they share information, help members create wellness plans, listen to guest speakers, and provide general and personal support for one another.

Despite being the public face of the organization as both the founder and president, Hempstead is not alone in her advocacy, and readily admits that the true strength of the organization lies within its members, who are dedicated to sharing their experiences and empowering others with the knowledge, strength and support to battle cancer. In addition to attending monthly meetings, members volunteer to help each other by driving other cancer patients to appointments, provide food, help clean the house of members who aren’t able to do so, and raising emergency funds for members when needed. They also provide information on restoring their finances after cancer, and end of life support for members and their families.

“You’d be surprised what can make a difference in somebody’s life,” said Hempstead. “It’s life-saving because the more support that you get and if you’re in a supportive community that’s going to embrace you your survival rate and your outcome will be so much better than someone who has no support.”

Valerie Dean, a member of Cierra Sisters who has been cancer free for 9 years, is grateful for the support that she received from the organization after she was diagnosed with cancer. According to Dean, the support that she received from the organization and its members played a significant role in helping her deal with her cancer and enjoy life after cancer.

Dean, like most people after initially being diagnosed with cancer, was afraid and “needed a lot of support.” In Cierra Sisters she found an organization that was full of love and support in more ways than she could imagine.

“Cancer affects the entire family, not just the one person,” says Dean. “It’s very expensive to have cancer and insurance does not cover everything.”

“This is a place where you can get genuine love and support,” she continued. “They are up on the latest and greatest cancer initiatives. They teach you how to eat, how to exercise and how to make your life better after cancer.”

According to Dean, the organization brought in a lot of experts to talk about a variety of issues at their monthly meetings. In addition, the members helped her ask the right questions of her doctors and to become mentally strong enough to overcome all aspects that people fighting cancer have to deal with.

“They recommended all the right doctors for me,” says Dean. “They recommended my gynecologist, my surgeon and my naturopath.”

While it may seem that the organization deals mainly with breast cancer patients and survivors, they are also very focused on education, prevention and early detection. Hempstead’s own story of survival is based on early detection and being very proactive with her doctor. She has also seen people die from cancer because they either were not diagnosed properly, early enough or in some cases were discouraged from being tested because they were younger than the age range that doctors general use to perform tests.

“My doctor didn’t even want to give me a mammogram because I was too young,” recalled Hempstead, who says that waiting until she reached the recommended time table for testing would have been a death sentence for her. “Since we know that some of the doctors are not as proactive as they should be, then you have to be proactive for yourself.”

Being diagnosed with cancer is not a death sentence, but Hempstead is quick to point out that people do die. However, she believes that living life is just as important as medication and treatment when it comes to dealing and overcoming cancer.

“I believe that when you’re diagnosed with any type of disease it’s almost an eye-opener that we are not immortal,” says Hempstead. “Some women in the past have been so afraid they don’t even want to go out and socialize anymore.”

“We want to be able to give these women the tools to go out and socialize,” she continued. “Go out and live your life and look at each day as an opportunity to make a difference in your own life and be able to make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Two years ago Hempstead had a recurrence of her disease, but her knowledge and resilience helped her overcome the disease again and served as a reminder that the fight against cancer is not just a process, it is also a lifestyle.

“It’s important to make sure you have the proper minerals in your body. I take more vitamins than I due medication, I only have one medication that I take,” says Hempstead. “Cancer works best in a weak immune system. It’s very important make sure you are eating the right things because you don’t want to eat something that going to help to promote the growth of the cancer.”

The influence of Cierra Sisters stretches far beyond the Puget Sound Area, Hempstead says that she gets calls from people from other states and has even housed some women who have come to Seattle for treatment. They are currently working on establishing chapters/relationships as far away as Africa.

While the name implies that the organization only serves women, anyone, male or female, who has had any type of cancer, is a relative of someone with cancer or just wants to be an advocate/supporter is encouraged to join.

“I’ve lived by faith for a long time and put a lot of my own personal funds into Cierra Sisters,” says Hempstead. “When you have organizations like Cierra Sisters and other organizations that are doing this type of work, it’s not hard work, it’s heart work. Its something you do because you have a love for the people.”

“It’s about building the relationship so that someone is going to trust that you are going to give them the best information, and that you’re going to support them through their medical crisis,” she added. “We’re here to share that information and share it freely.”

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Doctors Seeing More Cases of Preventable Childhood Illnesses

OAKLAND POST — Physicians have said vaccine skepticism has expanded beyond childhood immunizations. Doctors also reported growing resistance to other preventive treatments.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

By Stacy M. Brown

Doctors across the United States say they are treating children for illnesses that routine vaccinations once made increasingly uncommon, raising concerns that years of declining immunization rates are beginning to reverse decades of public health progress.

Pediatricians have described seeing more cases of whooping cough, rotavirus infections, bacterial pneumonia and other potentially life-threatening illnesses that vaccines have long helped suppress. Some physicians reported treating conditions they had rarely encountered during their careers, while others said that growing vaccine hesitancy is changing how emergency rooms and hospitals care for children.

The reports come as measles outbreaks continue to spread across multiple states and vaccination coverage remains below federal public health targets.

Johns Hopkins University’s International Vaccine Access Center reported 2,077 confirmed measles cases nationwide as of May 29. Researchers warned that outbreaks reported across the country have raised concerns about continued transmission, additional hospitalizations and deaths, and the possible loss of the nation’s measles elimination status.

Public health experts have long viewed measles as a warning sign because of its ability to spread rapidly through communities with lower vaccination coverage. The New York Times reported that physicians increasingly fear the resurgence of measles may be followed by the return of other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Doctors say that is already happening.

Dr. Meghan Hofto, a pediatric hospitalist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said she has already treated roughly as many children with rotavirus this year as she saw during the previous decade. Rotavirus once caused tens of thousands of hospitalizations annually before vaccines sharply reduced its spread. None of the children she treated this year had been vaccinated.

Hofto also described caring for infants with pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough.

“It’s hard to know when they’re safe to go home,” Hofto told The Times.

The rise in whooping cough cases has been particularly striking. More than 28,000 cases were reported nationwide last year, compared with approximately 7,000 in 2023, according to figures cited by The Times. Many of the affected infants were too young to receive vaccinations themselves and relied on broader community protection to reduce their exposure.

Other doctors described similarly troubling cases.

Dr. Jessica Kirk, a pediatric hospitalist in Alabama, recently treated an unvaccinated toddler hospitalized with pneumonia caused by simultaneous infections of Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Vaccines exist to protect against both illnesses. The child required oxygen and antibiotics to recover.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have been tracking vaccination trends nationwide and found continuing signs of vulnerability.

At the same time, vaccine policy has become increasingly contentious in state legislatures.

Johns Hopkins researchers reported that lawmakers across the country continue to introduce bills affecting childhood vaccination requirements, vaccine access and non-medical exemptions. Researchers also noted that state policies governing exemptions remain a significant factor in vaccination coverage and disease transmission risks.

Physicians have said vaccine skepticism has expanded beyond childhood immunizations. Doctors also reported growing resistance to other preventive treatments.

For doctors confronting the return of illnesses that vaccines once pushed to the margins of American medicine, the challenge is becoming increasingly personal.

“It just feels like you’re a tiny little boat with a giant tidal wave coming at you,” Dr. Erin Charles, a regional pediatric hospitalist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, told reporters. “And you might convince one family here and there.”

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Community

Asm. Isaac Bryan’s Environmental Reparations Bill Passes on Assembly Floor

“All this bill does is allocate resources from that repair fund and direct cash assistance to families that have had negative health impacts as a result of living next to that oil field,” said Bryan during remarks on the Assembly floor.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Asm. Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights). File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

On May 26, the California State Assembly passed legislation to provide direct financial assistance to families harmed by pollution from a major urban oil field in South Los Angeles.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1661, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights), cleared the Assembly floor with a 44-10 vote after lawmakers concluded debate on the measure.

The bill would direct money from a community repair fund toward families who suffered negative health effects from living near what Bryan described as the state’s largest toxic urban oil field. The repair fund was created under legislation approved two years ago that shut down the oil field and required polluters to contribute financially to community recovery efforts.

Bryan called the proposal “the largest environmental reparations opportunity for South LA” and told lawmakers the bill had not received opposition during the legislative process.

The legislation is part of California’s broader push to address environmental justice concerns in communities historically exposed to industrial pollution. South Los Angeles residents and environmental advocates have long raised concerns about health risks associated with oil drilling operations near homes, schools and parks.

Supporters say the measure represents a new approach to environmental accountability by ensuring that communities affected by pollution directly benefit from funds collected from responsible companies.

After debate concluded, Assembly leadership opened the roll call vote, and the measure passed with majority support from lawmakers.

AB 1661 now moves to the Senate for further review.

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Activism

Rep. Kamlager-Dove Introduces Bill to Protect Women in Custody After Reports Detailing Miscarriages and Neglect

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

Published

1 month ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) on May 7, reintroduced updated legislation aimed at strengthening protections and healthcare standards for pregnant and postpartum women held in federal custody, including in immigration detention facilities.

The Pregnant Women in Custody Act would expand safeguards beyond the federal prison system to include women detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The proposal follows reports of pregnant women being shackled, denied medical care and suffering miscarriages while in immigration detention.

The legislation builds on a bipartisan version previously passed by the House during the 117th Congress. The updated bill includes new standards for healthcare access, mental health and substance use treatment, high-risk pregnancy care, family unity protections and increased federal oversight.

“Proper pregnancy care is a human right, regardless of your immigration or incarceration status,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement. “It’s unacceptable that there are virtually no legal safeguards for pregnant women in federal custody.”

The bill would also limit the use of restraints and restrictive housing for pregnant women, improve data collection on maternal health in custody and require additional staff training and enforcement measures.

Supporters of the measure said the legislation is intended to address long-standing concerns about maternal healthcare and safety in detention settings, particularly for Black women and low-income women who are disproportionately impacted by incarceration and health disparities.

“Pregnant women in custody should never be subjected to dangerous and inhumane treatment that threatens their health, dignity, or the well-being of their babies,” said Patrice Willoughby, chief of policy and legislative affairs for the NAACP and a longtime public policy and government affairs strategist, in a statement.

A 2021 report estimated there are about 58,000 admissions of pregnant women into U.S. jails and prisons each year. Kamlager’s statement also cited a recent investigation by NBC News and Bloomberg Law that identified allegations of severe mistreatment or medical neglect involving at least 54 pregnant women or families in county jails between 2017 and 2024.

Federal policy under the Department of Homeland Security restricts the detention of pregnant, postpartum and nursing immigrants except in extreme cases. However, the agency reported that ICE deported 363 pregnant, postpartum or nursing women between January 2025 and February 2026, including 16 recorded miscarriages during that period.

The bill is cosponsored by several House Democrats and backed by organizations including the NAACP and the Vera Institute of Justice.