Dr. Jackie Walters is a fan favorite on Bravo’s “Married to Medicine,” but she appeals to a broader audience than the millions of viewers who watch the popular reality television show. A philanthropist and two-time breast cancer survivor, Dr. Jackie is a nationally recognized advocate for breast cancer education and prevention and has dedicated her life to helping women live healthier lives.
Walters’ nonprofit, 50 Shades of Pink, celebrates and empowers hundreds of breast cancer survivors while educating women on the health benefits of early detection. The organization has been featured in a number of episodes of “Married to Medicine” and is a huge part of Dr. Jackie’s storyline.
“Fifty Shades of Pink had been quiet because of the pandemic, but this year we felt like people were tired of virtual and wanted to be back out. We hosted a golf tournament and dinner. This year was different because we had a luncheon that featured all new survivors. People usually hear from me and I’m thankful to be 15 years out from the second diagnosis, but this year we had panelists share their story. We had a survivor that was 31 years old share her story. Next year, we are bringing the gala back. We know early detection is the best protection and we can never get that message out enough,” Dr. Jackie shares.
The assumptions that accompany being a physician is one of the reasons “Married to Medicine” — an intimate look at the private lives of doctors and their spouses — was immediately a huge hit. Walters and her handsome husband Curtis, were one of the original couples on the show.
A quintessential Southern belle, Dr. Jackie is one of the most accomplished obstetricians in the United States. Along with establishing a hugely successful medical practice, she is the co-owner of Wow Medi Spa, a women’s medical spa located just north of Atlanta that serves national and international celebrities as well as some of Atlanta’s most influential and prominent women.
Dr. Jackie says she enjoys using her social media platform to interact with women — especially women of color — to discuss and educate them on issues and advances related to women’s health.
“My advice to women is first find a doctor that you can relate to. I like to talk to my patients almost like they’re my good girlfriends. If you don’t feel comfortable with your doctor, then that’s not the right one for you,” she explains. “I know I’m not for every patient because I’m me and that’s OK. But you have to find someone you can feel comfortable talking with and who makes you feel important. Once you find a doctor, make sure you ask questions, and if you don’t understand or feel peace about something, ask more questions.”
Understanding that cancer and other fatal illnesses still affect women of color disproportionately, it’s plain to see what fuels Dr. Jackie’s passion.
“Women are speaking up more today, especially young women and that’s a great thing, but we all know there is an implicit bias that happens in medicine. Many women of color don’t have access to quality health care and there are still many of us who [subscribe] to ‘grandmama and them’s’ outlook on going to the doctor. Yes, things are changing, but not fast enough. This generation, I believe, can be the changing point in health for Black women,” she says.
In addition to encouraging women to get mammograms, yearly pap smears and ask questions about their health, Dr. Jackie wants women to know that a healthy and satisfying sex life is key to their quality of life.
“Another reason I felt this conversation on social [media] was so important is because I wanted women to know that sex should be good for them too. We’ve been taught not to talk about sex and that sexual enjoyment for women is taboo. We should be having ‘oooh oooh’ good sex. Yes, women should be having orgasms, and if they aren’t, then we need to talk about it and find out why,” Dr. Jackie says.
“I listen to what people are saying [about] the topics I address on social media. You should never be embarrassed or ashamed to ask your doctor anything, so I start those conversations that most women would never feel comfortable talking to their doctors about, even though it’s necessary. That’s what I try to get people to understand through my platform. My hope is that they’ll hear something I say in that two minutes of IG video and go back and have a conversation with their personal doctor[s]. I want to use my life and platform as a teaching tool,” she says.
Dr. Jackie’s book, The Queen V continues to be a bestseller, and she also promotes various products and procedures to enhance feminine intimate health. “I wrote The Queen V because I wanted women to realize the vagina is sacred. The vagina is royalty. Everyone that enters this world has to either come in through the vagina or out through the vagina. The vagina is one of the most forgiving parts of your body. The vagina will allow a whole baby to come through it and will spring back. Women need to understand their bodies,” she shares.
Season 10 of “Married to Medicine” allows viewers an even more intimate glimpse into the lives of Dr. Jackie and her colleagues Dr. Simone, Dr. Heavenly and friends Phaedra Parks and Quad Webb. Toya Bush-Harris, wife of Dr. Eugene Harris rounds out the immediate crew along with newbies Dr. Alicia Egolum and Lateasha Lunceford.
“Married to Medicine” offers the usual reality shenanigans along with a side of pomp and circumstance, but with Dr. Jackie as a lead character, viewers are guaranteed a dose of sophistication and education to accompany the unscripted drama.
“Married to Medicine” airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo and the following day on Peacock.
Cover photo by Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo
Inside photos provided by Dr. Jackie Walters
