Breast Cancer Survivor Jill Martin Is Choosing to ‘Treat Every Day Like a Masterpiece’

This October, the entrepreneur and television personality has teamed up with the WNBA and NBA to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Jill Martin / Valerie Terranova/Getty Images

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. women. This October, SI Swimsuit is committed to providing resources for breast cancer patients while sharing the stories of warriors who have been impacted by the disease. For more information, click here.

An Emmy-Award winning reporter, television personality and entrepreneur, Jill Martin is known for her status as a lifestyle contributor on TODAY. The New York native is also a breast cancer survivor who, since revealing her diagnosis in 2023, has made it her life’s mission to help raise awareness of the disease.

Martin has a family history of breast cancer—her grandmother, Shirley, died of the disease and her mother, Georgette, also had breast cancer. Martin’s mom opted for a double mastectomy in her late 40s and though she underwent genetic testing, did not have the BRCA gene mutation.

Despite receiving a clean mammogram in January of 2023, Martin underwent genetic testing at the urging of her doctors due to her family history. In June of 2023, Martin found out she was positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, which was inherited from her father—meaning she had a 60% to 90% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Armed with this knowledge, Martin decided to have a preventative double mastectomy. When she went in for her scans ahead of that surgery, however, Martin learned through an MRI that she already had an aggressive form of Stage 2 breast cancer.

“ I think what cancer taught me was how strong I am and how strong my body is and how much it would fight for me,” Martin says. “And so I feel like every day I have a choice to pull the covers up over my head or to go out and fight with grit and kindness and grace and fun, and I choose the latter because I think the other choice is too painful.”

Martin’s breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and advocacy

Just a few weeks after her diagnosis, Martin underwent a double mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and 16 rounds of radiation. Two reconstructive surgeries and the removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes followed. Today, the 49-year-old is cancer-free, but remains on two “safety net pills” that she says are extremely aggressive.

Martin has been incredibly transparent about her breast cancer journey in the hopes of informing others that a simple 30-second genetic spit test can save lives. On the day of her breast cancer diagnosis, Martin received a clean mammogram, and she had a clean sonogram months prior. Her particular type of breast cancer did not show up on a mammogram, but was found with an MRI. While mammograms correctly identify breast cancer about 87% of the time, according to Susan G. Komen, Martin wants to make it more widely understood that no test is 100% accurate and women must be diligent about their health.

“ I was vigilant about my testing because my mother had breast cancer,” Martin says. “[Getting tested and] holding the power is way better than getting cancer, I can assure you of that. I’m a fighter and you know, cancer wins. Cancer is more powerful than any of us and it takes away so much from you ... I’ve had a very blessed life, but cancer doesn’t discriminate.”

Combining her love of sport and fashion for a great cause

Those who are familiar with Martin’s career trajectory know that she spent time with the New York Knicks and Miami Heat as a sportscaster. Her latest endeavor, which combines the worlds of sports and fashion, couldn’t be a more natural fit.

While the term “survivor” is used to describe breast cancer patients at the time of their diagnosis, Martin wanted to find a stronger word to chronicle the experience. So, she created the Warrior Effect by Jill Martin, which consists of a cozy hooded sherpa lounger jacket, jewelry, accessories and more, to honor those currently fighting breast cancer.

WNBA Jill Martin Unisex Breast Cancer Awareness Oversized Hooded Lounger, $119 (fanatics.com)

Courtesy of Ben Watts

“ I wanted something that people could wear—and also I wore it—through treatment,” Martin explains of the hooded sherpa lounger, her brand’s hero item. “Something that was my lifeline and my career and helped me build a life for myself as a single woman was now something that I was wearing during treatment and gifting to people going through it.”

This October, Martin has partnered with the NBA and WNBA to raise funds for breast cancer reasearch. When consumers purchase her hooded sherpa lounger featuring pink versions of the the NBA and WNBA’s official logos during the month of October, all WNBA and NBA sherpa proceeds will be donated directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Dr. Eric Winer, Director of Yale Cancer Center, a member of the BCRF Scientific Advisory Board and one of Martin’s oncologists, will help allocate the proceeds to fund critical, lifesaving research, which was an incredibly important component of the partnership for Martin.

“ He was one of the people during my treatment who pushed the envelope if I asked questions and I advocated for myself, he would listen to me,” Martin says of Dr. Winer. “I would say, ‘This medicine is too aggressive for me, I can’t even get out of bed,’ and he would put quality of life into the equation [which many doctors don’t do].”

NBA Jill Martin Unisex Breast Cancer Awareness Oversized Hooded Lounger, $119.99 (fanatics.com)

Courtesy of Ben Watts

Not only is the hooded sherpa lounger stylish and cozy, it goes with absolutely everything, Martin explains, noting that the garment goes from “bed to barbecue to black tie” with ease. And while it was initially designed to bring comfort and beauty to those going through cancer treatment, Martin’s brand continues to serve as a reminder for consumers to get tested and take charge of their breast health all year round.

“ I don’t sugarcoat cancer because you can’t,” Martin says. “It’s just devastating. So I choose to be happy and I choose to thrive, and I choose to get up every day and treat every day like a masterpiece.”

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