Christina Mackey, Keisha Stephney, and Faridah Thomas
Real Stories: Insights from Clinical Trial Participants
Author: Katherine Cornish
Tigerlily Foundation has partnered with GSK on the My Living Legacy campaign. This campaign drives awareness and education on clinical trials for communities across the U.S. and aims to normalize conversations about clinical trial participation for communities that are often under-represented in clinical trials. Through this campaign, we’ve highlighted the clinical trial participation stories of three of Tigerlily’s ANGEL advocates: Christina Mackey, Keisha Stephney, and Faridah Thomas. Read through the links below to learn more about each of their stories!
Christina Mackey, a Houston, TX mother of two, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer at 33 years old after finding a lump in her breast and undergoing her very first mammogram. After many rounds of chemotherapy, her doctors at MD Anderson suggested that she participate in a clinical trial. After signing up and receiving treatment on the study, Christina’s cancer shrank by 97%. Christina notes that the clinical trial she participated in “saved her life” and finds sharing her experience and reaching others about clinical trials is “life-preserving work.” Learn more about Christina’s story in the article below:
Black mom, 33, was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. A clinical trial ‘saved her life’
At age 51, Bay Area resident Keisha Stephney was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer after her mammogram was delayed due to COVID-19. More than two years and 41 rounds of chemotherapy later, Keisha is still battling against breast cancer. She joined a clinical trial to find answers and wants to encourage more Black women to get involved in clinical research in order to make a difference in future treatments and patient outcomes. To read more about Keisha’s experience, read the story below:
My Living Legacy: Bridging the Gap in Clinical Trial Representation
Just after her 40th birthday, Atlanta local Faridah Thomas learned she had triple-negative breast cancer. But instead of starting immediate treatment, it took her months to find a doctor she felt took her experience as a Black woman into account when developing a treatment plan. Even after finding the right doctor, clinical trials for breast cancer were never offered as an option. Faridah later participated in a clinical trial for a different condition and now spend time actively sharing about her experiences as a trial participant to encourage others to take charge of their health and consider joining a clinical trial. You can learn more about Faridah’s experiences as a clinical trial participant below:
Conyers breast cancer survivor encourages Black women to ask about cancer research studies
Author: Katherine Cornish