September at My Sister’s Keeper: Growing, Celebrating & Staying Connected
- Sherri White
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
There is a lot happening within our Sisterhood this month, and we are excited to share a few updates!
Celebrating Our Big Sister of the Month
My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland recognizes a leader whose service reflects compassion, consistency and the power of simply being present.
My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland is proud to recognize Mary Wells as its August Big Sister of the Month. Mary not only serves as a Big Sister, but also as the organization’s Chaplain, providing an additional layer of encouragement and spiritual support to the Sisterhood.
In both roles, Mary embodies an important part of the organization’s mission: making sure women impacted by cancer know they do not have to face difficult moments alone.
The Big Sister–Little Sister program pairs women with supportive companions who can listen, encourage, check in and help connect Sisters with resources when additional assistance is needed. Big Sisters are not expected to have all the answers. Their role is to be a consistent and caring presence while helping another woman navigate her journey.
Mary brings that same spirit of care to her work as Chaplain. Through prayer, encouragement and compassionate outreach, she helps create space for Sisters who may be seeking spiritual strength, comfort or simply someone willing to stand with them during challenging seasons.
Her service demonstrates that Sisterhood can take many forms. Sometimes it is a phone call to check in. Sometimes it is sitting with someone through uncertainty. Sometimes it is celebrating a milestone, offering a word of encouragement or reminding a Sister that she has not been forgotten.
As My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland continues to strengthen its Big Sister program, Mary’s example reflects the type of relationships the organization hopes to foster—relationships grounded in trust, compassion, consistency and genuine connection.
“Being a Big Sister is not about fixing someone’s journey. It is about being willing to walk beside her,” said My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland. “Mary has demonstrated that kind of presence both as a Big Sister and as our Chaplain.”
Her recognition as August Big Sister of the Month celebrates not only what Mary does, but the spirit in which she does it.
My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland thanks Mary Wells for continuing to show up, encourage others and help strengthen a Sisterhood where every woman deserves to feel seen, supported and remembered.
My Sister’s Keeper Expands Its Reach to Oklahoma and South Carolina
New chapters mark an important step toward building a broader network of cancer support, community connection, and Sisterhood beyond Ohio.
My Sister’s Keeper is officially expanding its reach with chapters in Oklahoma and South Carolina, creating new opportunities to bring the organization’s programs, resources, and model of Sisterhood to more women and families impacted by cancer.
In Oklahoma, Katie Foster continues to serve as Interim President of the Oklahoma Chapter as the organization works to further develop its local leadership and programming.
A major focus of the Oklahoma expansion is the Waiting Room Watcher program. My Sister’s Keeper is currently working toward expanding the program into medical oncology at Stephenson Cancer Center, creating another opportunity to connect patients and families with encouragement, resources, and ongoing support within the healthcare environment.
The Waiting Room Watcher model is designed to meet people where they already are during the cancer journey. By establishing a presence within healthcare settings, the program can help patients learn about available resources, build connections, and receive follow-up support beyond the clinical encounter.
In South Carolina, Brittany Walker will serve as Chapter President. Brittany’s relationship with My Sister’s Keeper began before the chapter expansion. A leiomyosarcoma survivor, storyteller, creative entrepreneur, and advocate, she participated in the organization’s Pretty in Pink program in 2024. Following her recent relocation to South Carolina, Brittany will now help build and strengthen the Sisterhood within her new community.
The expansion also represents an important organizational milestone. My Sister’s Keeper is now registered to receive charitable donations in both Oklahoma and South Carolina, providing a stronger foundation for local fundraising, partnerships, and future programming in each state.
As My Sister’s Keeper grows, the goal is not simply to reproduce programs from one community to another. Each chapter will be shaped by the needs of the women and families it serves while remaining grounded in the organization’s central belief that no woman impacted by cancer should have to navigate the journey without connection, resources, and a Sisterhood willing to show up.
The Oklahoma and South Carolina chapters represent the next stage of that vision—allowing a Sisterhood rooted in Cleveland to grow into new communities while remaining personal, responsive, and connected.
Welcome Back, LaVada Tillie: Strengthening Health and Wellness Across the Sisterhood
My Sister’s Keeper welcomes LaBada Tillie back as Director of Health and Wellness, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to supporting women beyond the clinical aspects of cancer care.
Her return reflects an important part of My Sister’s Keeper’s approach to cancer support: recognizing that a woman’s needs do not begin and end with treatment. Physical health, emotional well-being, healthy habits, access to reliable information, and connection to supportive resources all play a role in how women navigate cancer and life beyond it.
As Director of Health and Wellness, LaVada will help guide efforts that encourage Sisters to take an active role in caring for their overall well-being. Her work will include supporting health and wellness education, developing and coordinating wellness-focused programming, connecting Sisters with community resources, and helping identify opportunities that promote healthier lifestyles throughout the cancer journey and into survivorship.
The role will also help strengthen the connection between the organization’s Sisterhood-based support and the broader health needs of the women it serves. While My Sister’s Keeper does not replace medical care, it can help women better understand available resources, feel more confident asking questions, and remain engaged in caring for themselves during periods that can often feel overwhelming.
Wellness within My Sister’s Keeper is intentionally broader than exercise or nutrition alone. It includes creating opportunities for women to consider their physical, emotional, social, and personal well-being and to recognize that caring for themselves is an important part of healing.
LaVada’s return comes at a time when the organization is continuing to expand its programs, geographic reach, and connections with women impacted by cancer. Having dedicated leadership focused on health and wellness will help ensure that growth is accompanied by meaningful opportunities for Sisters to learn, connect, and care for themselves.
A Walk in Her Shoes Returns October 3 in Partnership with Fatima Family Center
My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland will bring women, families, survivors, caregivers, and community partners together for its annual A Walk in Her Shoes event on October 3, 2026, hosted in partnership with Fatima Family Center.
This year’s walk will center on the theme “Rooted In…”, a tribute to ancestry, legacy, resilience, and the women whose strength continues to shape the generations that follow.
For My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland, the walk is about much more than completing a route. It is a visible expression of community—honoring women currently navigating cancer, celebrating survivors, remembering those who have been lost, and reminding families that they do not have to face the cancer journey alone.
The 2026 event will again take place in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, with Fatima Family Center serving as a key community partner in helping bring the event to the neighborhood. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to meeting residents where they are and increasing access to cancer awareness, support, resources, and meaningful community connection.
The “Rooted In…” theme invites participants to reflect on what grounds and strengthens them. For some, that may be faith, family, culture, healing, hope, or the memory of someone they love. Together, those individual stories create a larger tribute to the women who came before us and the strength carried forward through generations.
Walk teams are already forming, including returning teams, church groups, families, friends, and memorial teams honoring loved ones. Each team brings its own story while contributing to a shared purpose: supporting women impacted by cancer and sustaining the programs and services offered through My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland.
The event will also provide opportunities for participants to connect with health and community resources, organizations, vendors, and other partners, making the day not only a walk, but also a space for education, support, and connection.
Funds raised through A Walk in Her Shoes help support My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland’s year-round work, including Sisterhood support, patient resources, wellness programming, outreach, and initiatives designed to meet women where they are during and beyond cancer treatment.
This year’s fundraising goal is $7,500, and individuals are encouraged to register, join a team, create a team, or support a walker.
At its heart, A Walk in Her Shoes is a reminder that every cancer journey is personal, but no woman should have to walk hers alone.
We walk for the women beside us, the women who came before us, and the women who will come after us. We are Rooted In Sisterhood.
Community Events Support the Work of My Sister’s Keeper
We are grateful to community partners who are using upcoming events to help support the mission of My Sister’s Keeper Cleveland.
🎶 Music for Your Soul will bring the community together for an evening of music and cancer awareness, with a portion of the proceeds supporting My Sister’s Keeper.
Learn more and purchase tickets:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/music-for-you-soul-tickets-1988577582079
💗 Pink Mamas, presented by Island Beats, will once again combine movement, breast cancer awareness, remembrance, and celebration. My Sister’s Keeper is honored to have been selected as a beneficiary of this year’s event.
Learn more:https://islandbeatstudio.com/pinkmamas/
Support from events like these helps us continue providing programs, resources, wellness opportunities, outreach, and meaningful connections for individuals and families impacted by cancer.
To the organizers, sponsors, participants, and everyone choosing to support our work through these events—thank you for believing in our mission and helping us continue to show up for our community. 💜
September Shines a Light on Multiple Cancer Communities
September is an important month for cancer awareness, bringing national attention to several cancers and the individuals and families affected by them.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month recognizes children and adolescents facing cancer and the continued need for research, effective treatments, and long-term support. About 9,680 U.S. children are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2026.
Blood Cancer Awareness Month raises awareness of leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers. For My Sister’s Keeper, this includes our OrangeUAware efforts to increase education and conversation around leukemia.
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month focuses on cervical, ovarian, uterine/endometrial, vaginal, and vulvar cancers, encouraging women to know their bodies, recognize potential symptoms, and seek appropriate care.
September is also Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, a time to specifically highlight a cancer for which symptoms can be difficult to recognize and for which there is currently no reliable screening test for people at average risk.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month encourages education, conversations about risk, and informed discussions with healthcare providers about screening and early detection.
At My Sister’s Keeper, these observances are more than colors on an awareness calendar.
They represent real people, families, survivors, caregivers, and those we remember. Throughout September, we will continue sharing education, resources, and opportunities to help our community be aware, ask questions, know their risks, and support one another.
Stay Connected. Partner With Us. Reach Out.
My Sister’s Keeper continues to grow because of the people, organizations, healthcare partners, businesses, and community leaders who believe in the power of showing up for those impacted by cancer.
Whether you are interested in partnering with us, supporting a program, hosting a community initiative, referring someone for support, volunteering, or simply learning more about our work, we would love to hear from you.
If you have questions or need support, please reach out:
Website: MySKCle.org
Email: info@myskcle.org
Call or Text: 216-333-1819
Together, we can continue building a stronger, more connected community where no one has to navigate cancer alone.
Comments