New Books Network Judith L. Pearson, "Radical Sisters: Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, Evelyn Lauder, and the Dawn of the Breast Cancer Movement" (Mayo Clinic Press, 2025)
Nov 11, 2025
Judith L. Pearson, an award-winning biographer, shares insights from her book about trailblazing women Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, and Evelyn Lauder, who transformed breast cancer advocacy. Pearson discusses her own cancer journey that inspired her research. She highlights the pivotal role of 1980s media, like the Phil Donahue show, in initiating public conversations about breast cancer. The women’s relentless activism led to critical changes in healthcare policies, creating a legacy that empowers today's advocates.
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Author's Personal Diagnosis Sparked The Project
- Judith Pearson found a lump two months after a clean mammogram and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.
- Her personal experience led her to write about survivors and ultimately to research Rose Kushner and the other women in the book.
Breast Cancer Was Cultural Taboo
- In the 1980s breast cancer was still taboo and rarely discussed publicly or in mainstream media.
- Early advocates like Rose Kushner disrupted secrecy by confronting experts on national platforms like Phil Donahue.
Childhood Threat At A Live Appearance
- Shirley Temple once faced a woman in an audience who pulled a gun during a live appearance when she was about 11 or 12.
- The woman later claimed Shirley had 'stolen her infant's soul' the day Shirley was born.
