Early Detection Saves Lives: Athena Jones on Breast Cancer, Advocacy & Being Heard
In this powerful episode of The Running Wine Mom, Samantha Cieslinski sits down with journalist, filmmaker, and two-time breast cancer survivor Athena Jones for an honest conversation about early detection, self-advocacy, and the racial disparities Black women face in breast cancer outcomes.Diagnosed twice before the age of 40, Athena shares how a baseline mammogram — offered years before standard screening guidelines — changed the course of her life. She opens up about navigating cancer while advancing her career, losing her mother, and learning to trust her body when something didn’t feel right.Together, Samantha and Athena explore why breast cancer is often diagnosed younger in Black women, how systemic barriers impact early detection, and what “better” could look like in the future — including risk-based screening and emerging AI tools in healthcare.This episode is a reminder to listen to your body, ask better questions, and never stop advocating for yourself.What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why early detection is critical — especially for women under 40
- How a baseline mammogram helped catch cancer at Stage 0
- The emotional and mental toll of a second breast cancer diagnosis
- Why breast cancer outcomes are worse for Black women — and why
- Barriers to screening: insurance, guidelines, bias, and access
- What self-advocacy in healthcare really looks like
- How community and support can change treatment decisions
- What gives hope for the future of breast cancer care
- Athena Jones on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamathenajones
- Sisters’ Keepers Documentary (in production): https://www.sisterskeepersdoc.com
- Susan G. Komen Foundation: https://www.komen.org
- The Running Wine Mom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therunningwinemom