MADISON, Wis —A breast cancer survivor found a special way to help other women cope with the debilitating illness through a special scarf sharing project.  

What You Need To Know

  • Two-time Breast Cancer survivor, UW Madison Professor Emerita Gloria Ladson-Billings, discovered scarves after chemo

  • She amassed a collection of the soft fabrics and started to lend them out to other women battling the illness

  • Over the years, the scarves kept 'growing and growing' as the boxes returned with additional items

  • Prof. Ladson-Billings advocates for African American women who are subject to a more aggressive cancer

UW Madison professor Emerita Gloria Ladson-Billings said she discovered scarves after chemotherapy left her with hair loss.

"And in some ways, I didn’t think anything about it, except I’m going to do for me; I'm going to wear a scarf," Ladson-Billings said. 

Through the years, the two-time survivor amassed quite the collection  So in an effort to pay it forward to fellow women warriors, who might appreciate the soft fabrics, she began her "sisterhood of traveling scarves."

"Well, I think the scarves are much more symbolic than they are about sort of viewing or even vanity. I think it's a way to say to someone, 'I know what you're going through,"' Ladson-Billings said.

UW School of Pharmacy professor Eva Vivian became a recipient of her generosity.  

When Vivian was diagnosed a few years ago, Prof. Ladson-Billings gave her a box of scarves.

"You know, people can empathize and say, 'Oh, I'm so sorry,' but someone that has actually experienced the things that you're experiencing can really provide you with guidance and support," Vivian said of the kindness and compassion behind the unique effort.

Ladson-Billings said besides offering scarves, she offers her time to countless women battling breast cancer.  

Through the Madison chapter of the Susan G. Komen and her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, her goal is to raise awareness.

"I think it is important I think for me to, in some ways be an advocate for breast cancer, particularly for African American women who are subject to a more aggressive cancer, and a cancer at an earlier age," Ladson-Billings said.