BigHeart Health Launches Her Health Can't Wait, Urging Women Who Care for Everyone Else to Put Their Own Health First

Breast cancer survivor and healthcare CEO Cheryle Jackson launches the campaign during Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a message that goes beyond mammograms

CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BigHeart Health today launched Her Health Can't Wait, a campaign that speaks directly to the women who keep everyone else healthy (the mothers, daughters, partners, and caregivers who schedule the appointments, track the prescriptions, and show up for the people they love) while quietly postponing their own care.

The campaign debuts during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and early screening is central to its message. But Her Health Can't Wait asks a bigger question: What happens to a woman's health when she is always the one caring for others? The answer too often shows up as skipped checkups, ignored symptoms, and conditions caught later than they should be—even when she has health insurance.

Leading the campaign is Cheryle Jackson, a breast cancer survivor who now serves as CEO of BigHeart Health, a Chicago-based virtual healthcare company dedicated to eliminating health disparities and addressing social determinants of health by expanding access to preventive education and care. Big Heart Health is in network with Illinois' top managed care organizations (MCOs) and Medicaid.

"I spent years making sure everyone and everything around me was taken care of. When my own diagnosis came, it forced me to face how often I had put myself last after my family, my job, and community commitments," Jackson said. "Taking care of yourself isn't selfish. It's how you keep showing up for the people who count on you."

Starting October 6, the campaign will urge women to visit herhealthcantwait.com to schedule a virtual Her Health First Visit. A provider will conduct a whole-person health review that looks at heart and body, hormones and cycles, stress and sleep, screenings she's due for, and life at home. A care navigator then schedules specialist visits, shares records, and checks in between appointments to make sure each step actually happens. Health doesn't stop at the doctor's office, so women who need help with food security, housing, transportation, child- and elder-care support will be directed to resources close to home. Most health insurance plans cover one wellness visit a year.

Jackson brings a unique perspective to the campaign: she has been the patient, the caregiver, the advocate, and the executive working to improve how healthcare reaches all women but Black women, in particular. 

An article citing historical references and studies on discrimination in healthcare published by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners for Women's Health states: "Black women endure disproportionate health burdens affecting physical, reproductive, and mental health. These are not isolated events, but the result of persistent structural inequities strategically rooted within a healthcare system that never had them in mind."

The writer goes on to say that Black women navigating healthcare systems feel unheard, unbelieved, and unprotected, with 34% admitting to switching providers, worsening health, or being less likely to pursue care because of negative experiences.

Black women and Black family caregivers shoulder disproportionately high-intensity caregiving roles, averaging 31.2 hours of care per week, which is higher than any other racial or demographic group, according to a study by Mental Health America.

"Women are the health keepers of their families and communities. With Her Health Can't Wait, we want every woman to know she deserves the same care and attention she gives so freely to others," Jackson said.

Nearly one in four women say they have delayed or skipped needed medical care (the Kaiser Foundation's Women's Health Survey), and about one in four family caregivers, most of whom are women, report that caregiving has hurt their own health (AARP/National Alliance for Caregiving Support). Yet when breast cancer is caught early, the five-year survival rate is 99% (American Cancer Society).

Throughout October and beyond, Her Health Can't Wait will encourage women to take concrete steps for their own well-being, starting with a mammogram and extending to annual checkups that take a holistic approach to supporting their heart health, mental health, reproductive and sexual health, weight and metabolic health, and listening to the symptoms they tend to brush aside or are never asked about in the first place. The campaign will include giveaways, a digital storytelling series, community events, a resource hub, and social media activations using #HerHealthCantWait.

About BigHeart Health
BigHeart Health (formerly MyOwnDoctor) expands access to preventive education and culturally competent care so every person feels respected, understood, and valued. Learn more at bighearthealth.com.

Media Contact: Shawn Taylor | [email protected] | 312-371-6260.

SOURCE BigHeart Health