Shattering Limits: How a Black Woman’s ASCO Success Is Giving Hope To Breast Cancer Patients

Karen Eubanks Jackson has carved a remarkable niche in history as the inaugural Black woman to receive the prestigious 2025 ASCO Patient Advocacy Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Her inspiring journey commenced with a breast cancer diagnosis, profoundly altering her life and the realm of health advocacy for Black women. In 1993, after persistent advocacy for further screening despite negative mammograms, she uncovered her tumor—a pivotal moment that ignited her passion to safeguard others from similar fates. In 1994, while undergoing treatment, Jackson established Sisters Network® Inc., the foremost organization dedicated to Black breast cancer survivors. Through initiatives like Teens 4 Pink and the Gift for Life Block Walk®, she has fostered a vibrant community resource emphasizing culturally informed health support and advocacy across the nation.