Episode
16: Diagnosed at 28: How Genetic Testing Helped Save Brooklyn's Life
- Podcast
- SIS: Sisters in Survivorship
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2920
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ILLUMV4838125025.mp3
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Summary
Despite being BRCA2 positive and under annual MRI surveillance since age 25, Brooklyn Olumba was diagnosed (at age 28) with hormone-positive breast cancer while in the middle of building her life, career, and future. In this powerful Season 2 premiere of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship, Brooklyn shares her journey as a young Black breast cancer survivor, from discovering her genetic risk and navigating treatment during the height of COVID, to facing financial toxicity, fertility decisions, reconstruction, and survivorship. She opens up about the moment she “pocketed” her diagnosis and kept working, why Black families must stop treating family health history like a secret, and how her twin sister’s preventative double mastectomy changed both of their lives. Now a passionate breast cancer advocate, Brooklyn uses her platform to help young women understand their risk, ask better questions, and advocate for themselves before it’s too late. ✨ Learn more: sistersnetworkinc.org 🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of SIS: Sisters In Survivorship! KEY POINTS [0:00] – Introduction [2:26] – Breast cancer can happen in your 20s [4:54] – Black women often "pocket" their pain [13:17] – Fertility decisions during cancer are overwhelming [16:59] – Family history isn't private information [21:12] – Community is part of healing [25:56] – Hope is something survivors can give each other [31:54] – Advocacy starts with asking questions [33:58] – Financial toxicity is part of the cancer journey QUOTES “I pocketed it. And I think that is something, as Black women, that we do often. We just pocket it, and we say we’ll deal with it later.” – Brooklyn Olumba “A lot of times we think our disease is just your business only, but it impacts the whole family.” – Brooklyn Olumba “Ev…