By JR Robinson, CEO & Co-Founder, JustMy

In too many Memphis homes, breast cancer used to be something people whispered about. A mother would go to the doctor and come home quiet. An aunt would start wearing a wig and nobody would ask why. Women carried the diagnosis alone, because in our community, the conversation simply wasn't happening.

In July 1998, two women decided that silence had gone on long enough.

Their names are Barbara Davis and Toni Clark. Both were breast cancer survivors. And together, they founded STAARS — Surviving, Thriving, African-Americans Rallying Support. It was the first breast cancer support group in Memphis founded by survivors themselves.

This October, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to start where STAARS started: with the two women who refused to stay quiet.

"Vocal and visible"

Barbara and Toni saw a gap that the rest of the city wasn't filling. There was no African American breast cancer support group in Memphis that was willing to be, in their words, "vocal and visible." Open conversations about cancer and plain information about the disease were almost nonexistent in the Black community.

Toni was adamant about one thing: STAARS would "give voice to our victory." The goal wasn't only to comfort women after a diagnosis. It was to end the silence and the stigma that kept women from getting checked, getting treated, and getting support.

They wanted every woman in Memphis to hear real stories from real survivors, to learn from their experiences, and to understand that breast cancer was a speed bump in the road — not a death sentence.

That message is why this series is called Voice to Our Victory.

Built by survivors, lifted by community

No movement is built alone. In the early days, the Memphis Cancer Foundation, founded by Dr. Kirby Smith, and Pat McRee of the Flying Colors Support Network stepped up. They provided meeting space, supplies, refreshments and guidance, and served as STAARS's parent organization for community grants.

What happened next says everything about how badly Memphis needed this group. STAARS quickly grew into the largest breast cancer support group in the MidSouth. Its members took speaking engagements, showed up at health fairs, and joined forces with other local organizations to educate women and push for a cure.

In 2005, the Memphis MidSouth Affiliate of Susan G. Komen awarded STAARS its first community grant. That support powered the STAAR Witness Program, which reached African American, uninsured, underinsured and medically underserved women with breast health education and practical help.

In April 2008, the Intercultural Cancer Council honored STAARS with its HOPE Award — Helping Other People Endure — for its work through the STAAR Witness Program. And in 2014, STAARS secured its own 501(c)(3) status under the JAID (Jennie and Isiah Davis) Foundation, so it could keep serving on its own terms.

Why I'm telling this story

At JustMy, our mission is to make sure every person, business and community in Memphis can be found, heard and supported — especially the communities that have been overlooked the longest.

When I looked closely at STAARS, I saw an organization that has done exactly that for nearly three decades, mostly without the spotlight. Barbara and Toni built something that saved lives by simply refusing to be quiet. The least the rest of us can do is make sure their voice reaches every woman who needs it.

That's what this series is about. Over the next year, Voice to Our Victory will share the stories of STAARS sisters chosen by the group itself, practical guidance for women and families, and the many ways Memphis can stand with them.

Your part in the story

Barbara and Toni started with a conversation. You can keep it going today:

1. Talk about it. Share this story with the women in your life. Ask your mother, your sister, your friend when she last had a screening.
2. Get checked. Know your family history, pay attention to changes in your body, and talk to your doctor about when screening is right for you.
3. Reach out. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed, call the STAARS 24-hour line at (901) 319-9099, or give your physician permission to contact STAARS for you.
4. Give. Every gift helps a Memphis woman pay for a wig, a prosthesis, or a ride to treatment. Donations support STAARS through the JAID Foundation, a 501(c)(3).
5. Share your STAARS story. If STAARS has touched your life, we want to hear from you.

The STAARS affirmation says it best: Be Healthy, Be Hopeful, Be Happy, and Be Blessed.

Twenty-eight years ago, two survivors gave voice to their victory. Now it's our turn to make sure Memphis hears it.

Next Monday in Voice to Our Victory: Why Black Women Can't Wait — what every woman should know about screening and risk.