WS Chronicle

The City of Winston-Salem is mourning the loss of one its most resilient and caring community activists, Taneisha Gist. 

Gist, who  is better known throughout the community simply as “Neisha,” battled stage 4 breast cancer and throughout her own battle became the face of breast cancer awareness.

Although she has already made a name for herself by documenting her journey on social media and the viral hashtag #NeishaStrong, The Chronicle was the first media outlet to tell Neisha’s story in an article published in 2018. 

In the article titled “Taneisha Gist enlists social media as she fights cancer,” Gist opened up about her childhood, losing her own father to cancer, her own diagnosis, her double mastectomy, how she stays so resilient, and her plans to help others battling cancer. 

“I just want to create the education that people need,” said Gist during the interview in 2018. “I want #NeishaStrong to be so strong that it makes people want to make a change. I just want people to be strong together.”

Shortly thereafter Neisha started a petition to lower the age of preventative mammogram screening for women covered by insurance to the age of 30. The petition amassed more than 53,000 signatures and the legend of #NeishaStrong continued to grow. When she started the petition Gist said, “I need people to sign this petition for your mom, sister, aunt, grandmother, wife, girlfriend etc. I really feel like my life, and a lot of others would have been saved had I had a mammogram earlier.”

For her work in the community, in 2019 Gist was recognized at The Chronicle’s annual Community Service Awards. In addition to her work to help women, Gist was also an advocate for local youth. In 2021 she published her first children’s book, “Different, But Just Like You and Me.” Gist said she wrote the book to help children learn to show empathy for those with disabilities and foster care and adoption. 

Neisha’s family confirmed that she died Saturday morning. Throughout the week hundreds people have been using Facebook and other social media platforms to talk about the impact #NeishaStrong had in the community. A vigil was also held in her honor on Sunday. 

India Reaves, a local educator, author and motivational speaker who was friends with Gist wrote:  “When we tell the story, we’re going to tell them that you put up one hell of a fight! When we tell the story, we’re going to tell them that you went out swinging! When we tell the story, we’re going to tell them that you fought with grace, with, honor, and with power! When we tell the story, we’re going to tell them that you didn’t lose the fight, but you gained eternal victory!

“Neisha, you ran a good race, you fought a good fight, and you finished your course! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this journey with you. When we tell the story, we’re going to tell them that it always has been and it always will be #NeishaSTRONG! Rest in HONOR Taneisha Gist!”

To sign the petition started by Gist and help reach the goal she set of 75,000 signatures, visit https://www.change.org/p/covered-preventative-and-diagnostic-mammograms-for-women-starting-at-age-30?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1VDSLA194AnUORr4Hl2pRxQr7–PazfAvCskcNy3qGDOsR_pJGDBMCkWo_aem_IhRBDjrQN5PzboGI5pa7KA