Sisters’ History
Founded in 1996, Sisters Supporting Sisters-Baton Rouge (SSS-BTR), formally known as Sisters Supporting Sisters, is a non-profit African American breast cancer survivorship organization. The mission of the organization is to make our existence known in the Greater Baton Rouge area with the primary focus on raising the awareness of breast cancer in the African American community and to provide support and solace/a safe haven to African American breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer survivors Gwendolyn Brooks and the late Carolyn Weatherspoon laid the groundwork to organize a support group by contacting other ladies that were also breast cancer survivors. These initial meetings of support were held at the home of Gwendolyn Brooks. In 1997, Dr. Laura Cassidy, surgeon and breast specialist, now retired and Roberta Madden formally with The YWCA Encore Plus, offered assistance to the group in the form of education and outreach. Due to increasing membership, Sisters Supporting Sisters-Baton Rouge became an outreach ministry of Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church and held monthly meetings at the church. These monthly support meetings continue today at Camphor. In 1997, Sisters Supporting Sisters-Baton Rouge joined Sisters Network, Inc as an affiliate chapter as means to network with other African American breast cancer survivors from around the country. This association afforded SSS-BTR an opportunity to glean educational and support strategies to incorporate into its organization. On October 14, 2010 Sisters Network, Inc. and Sisters Supporting Sisters-BTR terminated their affiliation.” Sisters Supporting Sisters-BTR remains a strong leader in advocating for breast cancer by providing support, fellowship, education and information to survivors and non-survivors. With more than 200 years of survivorship among the membership, we are on the front line to save lives and on a mission to decrease the breast cancer rate in the African American community.”
Mission
The mission of the organization is to provide support, solace and a safe haven to African American breast cancer survivors and educate the non-diagnosed relative to good breast health.
Goals
The goal of the organization is “Transforming Apathy into Action”