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Breast Cancer doesn't care where you live, who you know, how healthy you are, how many initials you have behind your name, or the color of your skin. It could care less about money. This is a party that you never RSVP’d to, yet you are the guest of honor… and you don’t know what to do next.
Being diagnosed with breast cancer is where the discussion starts. Join host Shellie Turner in her new podcast that will shine light upon the darkness of diagnosis, giving you the support and information you need to keep moving forward from fellow fighters and survivors. We know you have questions, and this is a space where you can begin to find answers, community, and a voice for yourself in this journey. C. We Do Have a Voice welcomes you to the marvelous light of day.
Shellie:
Welcome to C We Do Have A Voice. I'm your host, Shelly Turner. Being diagnosed with breast cancer is where the discussion starts. Breast cancer doesn't care where you live. It doesn't care who you know, how healthy you are, how many initials you have behind your name, or what color your skin is. This podcast is a platform that will create discussion in order to help you find your story, your decisions, your information, and your understanding. Now let's get into it. Hi, this is Shelly and welcome back to See, We Do Have a Voice. And our guest today is Jackie. And Jackie's a special one because Jackie can sit and talk about Susan G. Komen. Jackie used to be an ambassador and I guess pretty much she's a spokesperson. She speaks a lot about it. She knows a lot about it. And Jackie's here to tell her story. Good morning, Jackie.
Jackie:
Good morning, Shelly. Good morning.
Shellie:
How are you?
Jackie:
I'm amazing. And thank you so much for asking.
Shellie:
Thank you so much for taking the time out because every guest, that's my first and foremost conversation is to thank you and to let you know, I do appreciate so much because these are stories and all of us have been diagnosed with a breast cancer. All of us have had a fire, but none of us have taken this fire to the water hole. So we are standing together, we have common, common conversations, we have a common heart, and we all understand that sharing is the healing part of the journey. Breast cancer is just the diagnosis, but then the life after. How do we function after? Because then we have to get our life back, we have to get our bodies back. So Jackie, talk about it.
Jackie:
Well, thank you. Absolutely. Everything that you just stated is correct. In 2005, I was just going to have a normal mammogram. So once I had that last mammogram, they stated, we need you to come back. We see something. Didn't think anything of it because I've been getting one since I was 40, right? And so they called me and I said, what do you see? They don't know yet. So we went through all the different tests and everything and found out I had stage one breast cancer. Very, very, very scared, very afraid, very shut down. Because when you hear the word cancer, it just really tears you apart. And again, as families, we don't talk about it. So I didn't even know much about breast cancer.
Shellie:
It's not going to be you.
Jackie:
It's not going to be me. Absolutely.
Shellie:
You're never even going to have to find yourself having this type of conversation.
Jackie:
Not at all. And I typically just shut down. I did tell my family. And at that time I just wanted to be with Jackie because my first thing I was cancer, I'm going to die.
Shellie:
That's it. That's it.
Jackie:
That's it. That's all you know. That's all you know. Your mind is just shut down to that. And so my son was in the ninth grade and he was very, very afraid as well. And my thought process was, I'm not going to see this kid graduate from high school.
Shellie:
So that's the fear that cancer puts in every single one of us. And that's why the organization see we do have a voice because cancer is no longer going to be the loudest voice in the room. So we have a voice and this is where we share our voice.
Jackie:
Absolutely. And we need that because that same day after I came from the doctor, I went in the store and you know, at that time it was a magazine. sitting there and it talked about breast cancer. And there it is. There it is. And there it is. If we don't know much about it, I'm going to take that paper with me, you know, and sit down and read it. But very informative information in it. It just talked about, you know, the diet. And so, you know, it kind of triggered my mind to say, you know what, I've got to start eating better. And but not only that, I need to find out what to do here. Because your doctors, they're just telling you limited information. We're going to do this.
Shellie:
They just let you know what we're getting ready to do to you.
Jackie:
Absolutely right. Absolutely. And after that, you're pretty much on your own. So in that time, going through my treatment and all that good stuff, it was so funny, Shelly. When I went in to have my treatment every day, my radiation treatment, there was several ladies in there also. And they were just like me. They were just just totally sad and afraid going through the motion. and went through the motions, sharing our story. You know, like one lady said, she felt a knot, you know, a lump in her breast. And so the doctor told her, don't worry about it, come back in nine months. Well, nine months later, it was much bigger. And so we just talk about those things about, you know, you gotta be your own advocate.
Shellie:
Yeah, the miscommunication is deadly.
Jackie:
It's deadly. But I felt I needed to be in that room because I was just as scared and just pretty down and out. But I felt I needed to lift the team up in there. I called them every day.
Shellie:
Well, you have that personality. You have the lift me up personality. So I can believe you did that for them.
Jackie:
And you know when you're doing radiation, you're only in there for like five minutes, but you're sitting in that room for about maybe 15 minutes. And so I just wanted to keep them all on a positive note and let them know we're gonna all be all right. Let's stick together, let's share numbers, and let's just keep in touch. Some people wanted to, some didn't, and it was okay.
Shellie:
You mentioned diet, and I've had some guests on the show that are vegans, don't eat meat, the vegetarians, strict diet. marathon runners, exercise. So do you have a different opinion about that? Because the food doesn't cause cancer.
Jackie:
No. Well, my only opinion was me to be more cautious of what I'm putting in my mouth.
Shellie:
That's true. Because you can't put nothing dead in your body and expect your body to live.
Jackie:
Absolutely. My, my conclusion was I need to add more fruits and vegetables. I'm a big meat eater. I was eating all kind of meat, but I kind of lose some of that, but I, you know, I just changed my diet where I would just incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables. I did very creative and doing, you know, making juices every morning, you know, that I enjoy. And I think it helped me. And then also just understand what the meat was doing in my body versus maybe eating some carrots and some vegetables. apples or, you know, blueberries and blackberries, more antioxidants in my system.
Shellie:
Talk about your treatment. How did, you know, how did you do with your treatment? And how do you feel now about your treatment?
Jackie:
Right. My treatment, because I caught it in the first stage and believe it or not, the year that they had the mammogram machines converted over to digital lenses. They can really go in and look and see what you have. Mine was so tiny, it was smaller than the top of a pen. It was so small, but they felt the need. By the time we did the biopsy, they pretty much got it all, but they still wanted me to have radiation. I did have the surgery where they went in there and removed whatever was left and they cleaned it up. They had an amazing doctor. And so after that, I did go through five weeks of radiation. You know how it is every day for five minutes.
Shellie:
Right, right, right.
Jackie:
Yeah. And after that, you know, your last week of any type of treatment that's, you know, you're going through, you get very tired. So I was very exhausted. Yeah.
Shellie:
Tired. Radiation takes your breath away.
Jackie:
Oh, my God. But after that, I just started, like I said, I started building up exercise, eating better. And I wanted to help someone back. The way I came out of it and found out I had breast cancer, I wanted to help someone else and say, you know what? Here we are to help you if you need us. So I did go in and seek some attention and guidance. And I went to the Susan G. Coleman, at the time it was the LA office.
Shellie:
Okay. So how did they really help you? You know, how did you become the ambassador?
Jackie:
Pretty much educated me with a lot of information for me to read and, you know, take it from there. But also I told them that I would like to get out and share my story with other people. And so we went through training through Susan G Coleman, then they certified me as an ambassador to go out and speak. And, you know, doing October, they gave us only one month, but I think it's every day. It is every day. So we go out in October, we just pulled everywhere. I mean, I have had an opportunity to speak in churches, people's homes, prisons. That's great. Yeah. Wow. Yes. And, um, just people are this thirsty for the information.
Shellie:
And that's why I say the information is the healing. Absolutely. Just like you said, you know, when you were diagnosed, you didn't have information. And what you're saying, being diagnosed at stage one, you didn't have chemo. No, I did not. But then there are still a lot of women that at stage one, they rush you right through those double doors. Absolutely. And you don't know to ask the question because you're following direction at that point. Absolutely. So, you know, when I hear that at stage one, several people that have been on the show have talked about they didn't have chemo. I get a little ugly because I had chemo. I've had breast cancer three times. And I was never even in the conversation where chemo wasn't the first, you know, mode of defense.
SPEAKER_00:
It was like,
Shellie:
So when I hear that, you know, stage one, people didn't have, you know, women didn't have chemo, I'm like, so I really didn't have to have chemo. But then again, it's like, you know, what was so different? And you never know the difference because you don't know, answer the different questions.
Jackie:
Absolutely. When I spoke with my oncologist and I asked him, I said, what is the next steps? He looked at my chart and he said, because the tumor was so tiny, it was just so tiny, you know, they had a certain time, you know, you know, how big and how small it's supposed to be before they move you to the next stage of getting chemo. And mine was just so tiny, they felt that the radiation would be enough.
Shellie:
Like I said, the questions, you don't know the questions to ask to get the answer that you really, really need. And that's a part of, you know, this whole platform being created to know that there are so many other options. And, you know, going to the doctor, the doctor cannot just run the show anymore. you know, for women that are being diagnosed today. Absolutely. And just like you said, where do they go? Who do they go with? And are they just going to go with the, you know, the recommendations and the schedule of the doctor? Absolutely. When really this is your life. Absolutely. You're the ones who's supposed to have the questions. But if you've never been here before, you've never had cancer. And people think automatically, like you say, you hear cancer. Oh, I'm a die. But there's life after that diagnosis. And it's how we live our life after we've been diagnosed, after we've been treated. Our lives are never the same. No, not at all. We have a conversation that you got to have a membership to be in this conversation. And unfortunately, the membership is breast cancer, but It's to encourage and it's to let other women know that you thrive after this. You know, it's not secret. People, some don't make it.
Jackie:
Absolutely.
Shellie:
For the ones that do make it, I do believe it's up to us to make sure that other women make it the best they can on their journey. Absolutely. And I've seen you do that. I've been to places where you've spoken and I've been in your company. So I know just your whole demeanor is a healing mechanism because you do that, you bring that.
Jackie:
Well, every morning I get up, I have to say my prayers and thank the Lord for another day, girl. It's called fight every day. I don't take it for granted. You know what I mean? I don't take it for granted. I just try to make sure I stay on top of my game, getting my mammograms, I'm also doing myself, you know, self-mammograms. I call them my self-mammograms, you know. Exactly. Filling yourself up. Right? Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely.
Shellie:
That's the important part, though, that a lot of younger women, they don't go to the doctor like maybe they should. And we know what the culprit of that is, it's insurance.
Jackie:
Absolutely.
Shellie:
You don't have insurance or your insurance doesn't cover this. And just like you said, somebody told you 90 days, this lady come back in 90 days. Well, I've heard stories like that. a stage four breast cancer lady that I know, she goes to a hospital. And the doctor goes, Oh, well, you know, the chemotherapy comes from Florida. So we won't be able to start your chemo for 30 days. She didn't make it 30 days. Wow. But she's at a doctor, doctor, doctor, that doctor person that's telling her absolutely. Chemo comes from, you know, another state. We're going to have to wait to get it. Well, I've never heard that. Never heard that before. So the stories that women are being told, sometimes I think there is a racial bias because, you know, having different women on the show that are, I guess you want to call them privileged to have the insurance and have the great doctor and have the great conversation with that doctor. women of color don't always even get that opportunity because they go into their first consultation and they're just being given instructions. And then, you know, a lot of times it's like, okay, well we have to make sure your insurance is going to cover this. So we need a referral for this and a referral for that. And you're the one sitting there just waiting because you're following the instructions because this is the doctor. So it's like, how do we get away from that? You know, how do we get women to advocate? Just like you said, you have to be your biggest cheerleader. You do.
Jackie:
You do. And sometimes, I mean, all the time with anything, when you're talking to a doctor, you don't feel comfortable with what they're telling you. It's always to go and get another opinion. Opinion. Absolutely. You know, for the young lady that she can feel it. You know what I'm saying? In my case, I couldn't even feel it. You know, it was for me, mine was found ultrasound. I mean, ultrasound. But for her, she could feel it and still just listen to the doctors. And I, you know, those are the things that we educate people on when we go out and speak, when I go out and speak, you feel something. And if they're telling you one thing, go get another opinion. Several doctors out there always seek help. You know, there's a lot of community agencies that will take care of you for free if you don't have medical.
Shellie:
Yeah, and I'm finding out more and more about those, but how do you even get that information out to women? Because they just feel like, oh, there's a stop sign. There's something going on with me. I need to go, but I don't have insurance because there's no information from anybody in their circle or out there for them that you can go get this free. I found out from one of the guests that there's a health insurance for cancer. I never heard of that, but she said there is. You know, if you don't know, They're not going to, it's not going to be on the five o'clock news.
Jackie:
No, it's not. It would not, you know, we would never know a lot of that, you know, with working with Susan G Coleman at the time, I worked with several agencies that were also there to help those that did not have medical. I mean, you know, if I can mention this, you know, at our church, we had a truck come up at the church grounds and they wanted to take care of those that did not have insurance or had limited insurance. because those are the ones that we're trying to reach out to that community to help those, you know, make sure that they can get a mammogram.
Shellie:
And weren't there women that were actually diagnosed and found out they had breast cancer?
Jackie:
Yes, they were.
Shellie:
We had a very, yeah, absolutely. And that, to me, that's crazy. Yeah. If the unit had not come onto the church ground and had been an event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, how would they have ever found out? You know, it's like how as a group of women that want to continue to do the best we can for other women, whether you are diagnosed today, if you're never diagnosed, or maybe tomorrow you may be diagnosed, the information shouldn't just be just in case or when you get it. You know, because just like you said, when some women get it, They shut down, they get depressed. It's a secret. Women still don't wanna talk about it. And it's like, how do we ever just get that information out there where it's communal? It's just out there and it's out there in the atmosphere. It's not just coming from your doctor. Educate these young girls at school. Educate the women in college. Let these be pamphlets. Let this be articles in newspaper. but it just can't be a secret anymore. I go twice a year now and it's like some kind of weird thing that I feel. I walk into the doctor's office and I still see people sitting in there and I'm thinking, oh, people are still getting cancer. I'm done. I'm only coming here really to chat with my oncologist because I love him. He's amazing. But there are women still going through those double doors. And to go to his office, I have to pass that door. And it's just, I just lose my mind. Absolutely. Because it's like, oh, that door, you know, but, you know, the crack in the door and every seat is filled. So, you know, the treatment is still going on. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is October, but breast cancer diagnosis is every day.
Jackie:
Absolutely. Every day. Right. And, you know, I was surprised when I found out I had it to talking to other people, even, you know, some of my own friends. And they were like, Oh, I didn't realize you have to have a mammogram unless you feel something. And I'm like, whoa, you really need some education out here, right?
Shellie:
That's what I mean. Yes. The simplicity of knowledge will, you know, give you life.
Jackie:
It sure will.
Shellie:
And it's just that simple. It's not rocket science that you want to take better care of yourself because my hand is up. I'm going to do whatever it takes. But, you know, in my third diagnosis, I opted out of any treatment because I'm like, you told me if I cut my breasts off, then it'll never come back. Well, it came back. So now it's in God's hands, the helper and the healer. So he said it's not coming back. And I trust that. Right. I didn't need treatment because they were like, well, because it came back and it's a HER2 positive, you're going to be on this kind of chemo for a year. And then after that, you're going to have to be on another one for a year. And it's going to affect your heart. But your heart should go back to normal. I was like, bye. OK, no, but I should not do this. So but that was after being diagnosed the third time and being educated and having multiple conversations with multiple people. Absolutely. It was like more information for me. So information is key to this whole thing with breast cancer. It's like the celebrity on TV. Well, we're not celebrities. We are famous, though. In God's eyes, we're famous, too. Absolutely. We're superstars. But, you know, you want to be on TV because you're having cancer and you're going to get this treatment and, oh, now the cancer has spread. OK. Okay. What is that doing for anybody out there? Because they're going to feel like, well, if I'm not famous, I'm not a celebrity. I can't go to the doctor they went to. Then there it is for me. Absolutely. But it's not. We have to find a better way to get all this information out. Really.
Jackie:
Yeah. And I find that we do a good job in some areas where we're educating people about it. A lot of times they will go to the doctor, you know, and then when they get their results, that's where they stop. Yeah. Cause don't want to do it. Yeah. Education need to be there also because you know, those kinds of things, when you stop, that's it, you know, versus the other ones, you know, they will go and get all the help they can get, you know. to take care of it. But we've stopped.
Shellie:
And then there is a racial divide. You know, there is a racial divide. Right. How African-American women are treated versus any other ethnic group of women that are dealing with breast cancer. And we typically as a whole The possibility of us shutting down is greater, I think, because the way they talk to us, the intimidation factor is like, okay, are you going to let me do this or you want to do this? And then the questions stop. And then you're like, okay, well, the doctor said, the doctor said, but what do you say? You know, what do you say? So we have to start being the one who says.
Jackie:
Absolutely. And just like I said, we have to be the ones to fight. We just can't go in that office and then they talk like that to us and share stuff. We still fight through that.
Shellie:
Right.
Jackie:
and, you know, ask questions as well and say, okay, I want to live.
Shellie:
What would you like to see more from Susan Coleman as far as community work?
Jackie:
Well, right now, Susan G. Coleman, after the pandemic, they kind of relocated the LA office to Texas. So what I would like to do is like in January, start contacting them again and kind of bringing it back to the LA area. to this site so we can get back out there in the communities and start educating the people about breast cancer. I mean, that means getting involved with radio stations, doing community events, and just, you know, talking and sharing our stories, letting them see us. I mean, I had a great opportunity, I'll tell you this, I went to, it was not the Lakers, it was the ladies team.
Shellie:
Okay, the WBA or whatever.
Jackie:
Yes, and they asked me to speak during halftime.
Shellie:
Oh, cool.
Jackie:
And so when I got up there, And I spoke when I came down, it was so many men and women just grabbing me and hugging me and feeling me, you know, because we want to touch her cancer. It's a certain way people expect you to look exactly. exactly that's what we need to educate we can we don't look like that we don't look we don't look like death walking we look like life the abundant life god promised that's what we look like so that's the kind of education i want people to understand that yes you you may go in the office and they'll tell you you have it but at that time once you you know we all go through those stages of depression that's exactly Once you get up, you're not going to stop. Exactly. I mean, I feel when they call me all the time, the whole month of October to go and speak, I was like, oh my God.
SPEAKER_00:
Right, right, right.
Jackie:
But I'm like, I got to do this. You know, I just got to do it because I know somewhere I can help somebody.
Shellie:
And you never know it's going to be that one person.
Jackie:
That one person. Absolutely.
Shellie:
And even now, there's somebody out there right now that might be sitting alone, pondering with no information. Not really trying to talk about it with somebody to get another opinion from somebody, but needing some real information, some real direction.
Jackie:
I had a couple of times where a couple of doctors knew who I was and they would call me and they would say, would you talk to my patients for me? I just found out and it was okay that you contact them. And that was big. That's huge. Because that person had somebody to talk to better than I did.
Shellie:
and then the doctor because doctors reaching out to you know just a woman absolutely that is able to talk about it and the doctor is really admitting that we need more of you because you know a lot of these places they have like a breast cancer coordinator but they're not always the information I'm looking for, because I tell you, the last one that popped out, I told my doctor, she popped out the office like a jack-in-the-box. And she's like, oh, I'm so sorry, you know, oh, honey. And I looked at her like, what? I said, what are you giving me that bag for? She goes, oh, this is just some information. I said, bye. I was so outdone with her. I mean, she just popped out the office like, you know, Miss Sympathy. And I looked at her like, are you kidding me? Bye.
Jackie:
That's why I appreciate all of us that have gone through it. Because we have gone through it. And that's when you can sit down and talk to somebody else and say, I've been there where you are.
Shellie:
Yeah, just to get a different perspective.
Jackie:
Yes, absolutely.
Shellie:
What did they tell you? Well, no, that's not what they told me. OK, well, when I go back to my doctor, I want to ask him about that. And we, as African-American women, we don't always get offered the information of clinical trials, you know, and that's right. Why, why not? You know, why not? And it's always insurance based.
Jackie:
Always. And that's number one.
Shellie:
Yeah, and I don't believe they're real honest because in my opinion, clinical trials are for data. They just want to know how this particular new medicine worked at your stage of cancer. We know you're not going to make it. We're not going to discuss that with you, but we want you to be on this clinical trial because we need some more data.
Jackie:
They need that data, absolutely.
Shellie:
It's like, no, no, no, no. I'm not, I'm not, you know, the guinea pig. But a lot of women don't even know about the BRCA. They don't know about clinical trials. Right. And it's always, well, my doctor didn't tell me. Well, that's when you have to go outside the box. and you tell your doctor it's a lot and just like we both agree somebody's being diagnosed today got diagnosed yesterday and will be diagnosed tomorrow and you know that's those are the people that need information right away right away it's like don't work you know let's just let's just take this one day at a time absolutely but you know whatever your doctor's telling you a second, third opinion, that's your choice. Absolutely. And, you know, some doctors will intimidate you out of that. Like, well, then why are you here? Why do you want it? And they're going to tell you the same thing. It's like, no, maybe not. Maybe not. I want to validate you, what you say.
Jackie:
Absolutely. That's why I tell people that, you know, somebody call me and say, hey, you know, they think they see something. What should I do? I just go buy you a tablet. All right. Get your phone together and you start taking notes. And when you go talk to that doctor, you take notes and then you evaluate what you heard. If you don't like it, then you have that choice to go somewhere else. You know, just don't follow what they're telling you if you don't feel comfortable with it. So I think that's where we fit in that to help in that, that layer right there, you know, standing in the gap, standing in the gaps. Absolutely.
Shellie:
So you mentioned like radio stations as a form of networking. And I just would, I would love that. I would love, you know, how to get that going. Just to be on a platform like that, community-based, and just say, you know, women that want to know, do you know somebody? Are you going through? Then, you know, let's create this village. Because there have been so many different breast cancer awareness groups But why do, you know, they always go by the wayside. They don't last long.
Jackie:
Absolutely. And that's another thing that we need to do is just like, I mean, I think we do a good job as you know, every year we want to make sure that we have some information, you know, to educate the folks on. But again, it's got to be something that we can do every day. You know, besides just October, we just got to work on that.
Shellie:
Cause I bet if you get on a radio station and you just say, okay, we're going to have a town hall, you know, we're going to, you know, go to a school auditorium or somewhere that we can, you know, rent the space and they'll be at the door.
Jackie:
Absolutely.
Shellie:
with questions, you know, with questions that they're not embarrassed to ask in this type of form, that they will be comfortable with an answer, they will get direction, and they'll get a partner. You know, they'll get somebody to say, hey, let's do this. You know, this is why we call, you know, because we want you to know that women are available for women out there. with this new journey in their life. It just can't be silent anymore, because it's just too silent for my taste.
Jackie:
Absolutely. I mean, and not only radio, I mean, some way we got to get a connection with hospitals and the doctors, because when they first find out, that's when that person needs somebody just to hear, hey, I've been there where you are. And this is what I did. And maybe, you know, you want to do something different, but know to educate yourself.
Shellie:
Yeah, that's all. You have to educate yourself about your options, the choices that are available, and the keyword available, because anything that you need is available, but you just got to know what door to knock on, you know, and you already have the key. You have the key because you're at the door, but know that that door is available and you have the key and it's for you to walk in and get whatever you need. If you're, you know, whatever color your skin is or the initials behind your name or how much money you have or who you know, this information is for you. And you're doing yourself an injustice by not coming to the door. Just like you said, that one person, you know, Yeah. Yeah. Cause it's always going to be one person, no matter what, how many people you have in a group, whatever, whatever kind of setting it may be, you're always going to have that one person. Just like you said, you know, you, you finished speaking at the game and they were waiting for you. You know, they just, they were waiting to see, Oh wow. She had cancer. You know, she had breast cancer. Look at her.
Jackie:
Right. Absolutely. That's not what they're used to seeing when people are advertising on radio or TV, they show people sickly and You know, and I'm not trying to be ugly about it. They're just not looking up.
Shellie:
Yeah, but I'm not, yeah. That's what they expect when something happened like that. Women with cancer that are going through treatment have a look, though. There is a look. And I mean, I have walked up to women on two different occasions, and I just saw the look. And it was just like, automatically just started having a conversation. They say, well, how did you know? It's like, because I could see it. Absolutely. I can see it. But yeah, that's your job, Jackie. You got to wave that flag.
Jackie:
Yeah, I do. I'm working with the different agencies now and saying, you know, we need that. We really need to work together to get this done.
Shellie:
I want those trucks out there on the streets because it just it can't be the secret anymore. You know, just like I always refer to the party that you get invited to. Right. And you don't have to RSVP because you're the guest. Absolutely. You're the guest, the guest of honor. And it's like, well, why am I the guest of honor of this? Absolutely. So yeah, it just has to be more, but you have a big flag. You have a loud platform.
Jackie:
I'm trying to make it happen. Like I said, when I went to the jails, that one was tough for me. You know, just going there, you know, security and all that, but to get up there and talk to women. And it was the time, I'll never forget the last one I did. I went in and I was maybe about 15, 20 women sitting there. And then they had five or other women sitting around other areas that didn't want to come out, but my voice is loud. So when I start talking about my story and I start talking to them about it, then the folks that was up there that didn't want to join me, they came in and they started participating with it. And we had an amazing time. I mean, they wanted to talk about everything. How do I know if I have it? How do I feel my breasts? Can you show me, you know? And so they were also there in that environment.
Shellie:
Do they have access to mammograms being incarcerated?
Jackie:
Yeah, because one girl said she had, she felt something and they were taking her the next day to have a mammogram.
Shellie:
After you were there speaking, they couldn't ignore that. Wow, that's a hard place to be with that. No, it was tough.
Jackie:
It was really tough. It really got to me when I left there because I was like, you know me, I'm a type of person that... You want to take her home.
Shellie:
I want to take her home. You didn't want to leave.
Jackie:
I was like, well, she needs to leave right now. You already know, absolutely. She needs to go with me. No, really tough for me.
Shellie:
But see, speaking to women in a prison environment, that's amazing because it exists there too. You know, cancer doesn't just stop growing in your body because you're incarcerated. Absolutely. So wherever you are, it's going to go with you if that's what's going to happen.
Jackie:
No. They're getting that help in there as well. So the young lady did mention to me, you know, and then again, you're like, wow, I want her email address. I want to keep up with, you know, you couldn't do all of that. So she got the help that she needed and she's doing better.
Shellie:
And I bet she's still looking for you, Jackie. I know it. I know it. I bet she's still looking for you. Because it's just, it's just that one concern from that one person. And then they know somebody cares. Absolutely.
Jackie:
That's it.
Shellie:
That's it right there. Absolutely. That it wasn't, you know, it's there is somebody that just said something nice to me.
Jackie:
Right.
Shellie:
Or just act like they really cared, you know, and, you know, a lot of women get diagnosed that are in, you know, marriages and their marriage is not where they find the comfort.
Jackie:
Absolutely.
Shellie:
That's right. So You need something outside, but that's what I know your flag is. That's your flag. And you've got a big flag. So that's why I really, really appreciate your time today. But Jackie, I have a special place in my heart for you. Always have. And I was trying to figure out today, well, when did I meet Jackie? I don't even remember.
Jackie:
You met me when we had our table outside at the church and we had the information for women to come and get and read about. breast cancer and you stopped by and started talking to me and Sherelle, of course, and we just loved you up. We were like, we got to get your number.
Shellie:
I said, Jackie's my girl and I don't even remember. But I just really, really, really want to express to you how grateful I am that you took the time out to come and sit with us and let your heart speak because that's the change, that's the healing. And you certainly exuberate that. Like I said, your whole demeanor is healing and you're a light. And when you start talking and just like you said, all the invitations that you've had to speak, there, I'm sure the listening was the most popular thing going on. Cause it's like, you know, Jackie, whoa. And you said you're loud. And the girls on the rafters in the prison were like, Oh, well we want to get closer to her, but that's what you bring. You bring that type of energy where I want to be close to you. You know, I want, so I just really want to thank you this morning for taking the time out, sharing with us and being a part of, see, we do have a voice and I just appreciate your willingness to come and be that.
Jackie:
Well, I appreciate you, Shelly. You always have these visions and these dreams, and you're not one that just talk about it. You tell me this is what I want to do. So I am always happy and honored to be a part of whatever you put out there.
Shellie:
You stay honored, Jackie. You stay honored, because we're not done. But thank you so much. You have a wonderful day, and I hope to see you soon. And thank you again, Jackie.
Jackie:
All right, sweetie. Thank you so much. Here.
Shellie:
Thanks everyone for listening. Make sure to follow and rate the show wherever you get your podcast. This podcast is produced by Rainbow Creative with executive producers, Matthew Jones, producers, Steven Selnick and editors and mixers, Rob Johnson and Stefano Montelli. See you on the next one.