Our Story
Born in a moment of pain, guided by purpose, and led by the daughters who carry it forward, this is the legacy of Cierra Sisters.
From Diagnosis to A Calling
In 1996, just one day after her 35th birthday, Bridgette Hempstead was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a moment that shook her world. Like many Black women, she faced not only the physical reality of the disease but the systemic neglect and silence that too often surrounds it in our healthcare system.
Seeking comfort, Bridgette turned to her mother. After sharing her fears and pain, her mother listened, embraced her, and said words that would shape the rest of her life: “You have work to do.” Bridgette also turned to her faith, where she heard a divine message from God: “Bring my daughters together.”
That calling became the seed of what would grow into Cierra Sisters—a sanctuary of knowledge, support, and advocacy for Black women and women of color navigating breast cancer.
“I refused to accept what the doctor told me: ‘Black women don’t get breast cancer.’ So I stood up, studied hard, and built Cierra Sisters—so no sister ever feels she’s alone in this fight.”
— Bridgette Hempstead
Get Involved
For over 28 years, we’ve turned that pain into power: educating, advocating, supporting, and breaking the cycle of medical neglect in our communities.
Your donation isn’t just money: it’s life, presence, and justice. It fuels mobile mammograms, patient advocacy, resource access, and safe spaces where Black women learn to push back on a system that too often overlooks us.
Donate now so we can continue the legacy that Bridgette left behind.
Our Partners & Donors
Breaking barriers in cancer care and making sure Black women are seen, heard, and supported.
The Birth of Cierra Sisters
From that moment on, Bridgette committed her life to making sure no woman would walk the cancer journey alone. She founded Cierra Sisters on the pillars of community trust, cultural relevance, and shared wisdom. Her leadership was not only bold—it was sacred. She became a powerful bridge between the medical establishment and her community, challenging disparities, demanding equity, and empowering women through education, sisterhood, and self-advocacy.
Over the next 26 years, Bridgette’s impact rippled outward. She partnered with institutions like the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where her work helped reshape how breast cancer is researched, discussed, and treated in communities of color.
Through groundbreaking collaborations, she amplified the voices of Black women in medicine and in science—fighting not just for survival, but for dignity and agency in care.
Though Bridgette has passed, her spirit is deeply rooted in every life touched by Cierra Sisters. Her legacy lives on in every conversation, every event, every woman who learns to speak up and ask, “What are my options?” This is more than a nonprofit.
This is a movement born of divine purpose, radical love, and unshakable faith.