Atlanta doctor and two-time breast cancer survivor Jacqueline M. Walters, MD, is known fondly to Bravo’s “Married to Medicine” fans simply as “Dr. Jackie.” On the series, the two-time breast cancer survivor is very candid with her personal life and experiences.
Dr. Jackie has been a practicing OB/GYN for over two decades and this month, the beautiful doctor turned 55 years old. That’s hard to believe looking at her because she literally looks half her age.
Not only is she the doctor of stars like Toni Braxton, T.I., and Usher, she’s also founded the 50 Shades of Pink Foundation for Breast Cancer Warriors.
She’s a self-proclaimed “positive thinking warrior.” Dr. Jackie believes mental health care and support is essential following a breast cancer diagnosis. “I’m not sure why the mind immediately goes to death when we hear the diagnosis. [But] research has shown that the mind is a powerful thing and it controls everything in your body. Surround yourself with positive affirmations, positive people, and positive things.
“Even when I was in chemotherapy, I wanted to make others look good, [so] I would show the other ladies there how to make their scarves cute and make them look fly,” she said.
She struggled with and eventually conquered her battle with breast cancer, and now it has become her ministry to elevate other women facing the same trials.
“I am on a spiritual assignment to uplift, inspire, and celebrate breast cancer warriors,” she says in her new book, Perfect Imperfections. “I have always believed that God has ordered my steps to touch lives of women all over the world and display my scars without fear, so other warriors can understand they too can make it through this battle.”
Dr. Jackie’s battle didn’t stop with her breast cancer diagnosis. She also became infertile after her treatment to remove the cancer. Something that Dr. Jackie had to battle with for years before changing her mindset to really deal with it.
“When I first learned that I was infertile after the chemo, for the next three to five years, every patient would walk in the door and say, ‘You haven’t had a baby yet?’ And you know I would have to explain, well – I got to the point where I said, ‘well not yet.’ Because it’s one of those things that people can’t understand it or they will cast on you like, ‘well you not believing for it enough or you need try this and you need to try that.'”
“So it’s almost like having a wound that’s healing and every time you meet somebody they snatch that whole scab off…