Breast Cancer Survivor and Advocate Named a 2011 Community Gem

May 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Crystal Brown-Tatum, CEO and Founder of Crystal Clear Communications, has been named a 2011 Community Gem. The award, first presented in 2009 by Clarkes Jewelers and the Foundation, honors remarkable women in the Shreveport-Bossier community who have made exceptional contributions. The annual presentation recognizes 12 women each year and each honoree gets the chance to wear a diamond necklace called "Gemma” for a month.
Brown-Tatum was nominated by Teddy Holmes, Publisher of Definition magazine. “Crystal faces each day knowing that her recurrence rate of breast cancer is higher than ideal. When faced with her own immortality, she chose to leave a legacy of hope. Crystal Brown-Tatum is more than a community gem. She is a diamond in the rough,” says Holmes.
The 12 recipients will be announced and recognized with a certificate from the Lt. Governor’s office on May 19th at Superior Steakhouse. Additionally, each woman will be profiled in SB magazine during her designated feature month.
Brown-Tatum was diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer in 2007. She authored a breast cancer memoir entitled “Saltwater Taffy and Red High Heels: My Journey through Breast Cancer” which has been featured in several national oncology magazines. Additionally, she has facilitated breast health and education workshops at no charge to several community organizations and churches including Community Renewal, Kiwanis Clubs, Northside Independent School District, ShreveCorps, Junior League and Executive Women International. The Discovery Channel Network selected her journey for their documentary “Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Get The Facts” and she’s been featured on the “Monique” show and Essence magazine as a survivor.
Crystal is a member of Sisters Network Inc. (SNI) and serves as the Northwest Louisiana spokesperson for Sister’s Network; the nation’s only African-American Breast Cancer Survivorship Organization. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Kiwanis Club of Southern Hills where she is instrumental in the planning and development of initiatives which directly impact the lives of children in the community as well as serving as a Board member of Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation which provides support services to high school athletes who sustain catastrophic spinal cord injuries as a result of football injuries.
In addition, she has been a mentor with the GEMS program for two years under Volunteers for Youth Justice and serves on the advocacy committee for the American Heart Association Louisiana affiliate where she lobbies for heart attack and stroke preventive legislation having lost her father to a heart attack at an early age.
A San Antonio, Texas native and graduate of The University of Houston (BA-96), Brown-Tatum is married to Sergeant First Class Philip Tatum and has one daughter Jaclyn (17); an honor student and junior at Byrd High School.

# # #

Crystal Clear Communications is an award-winning full service public relations firm and advertising agency.