Karen Roberts Turner – 58
Author, Lawyer, Community Activist, 2x Cancer Warrior
About me
Professionally, I am a Washington, DC-based defense attorney and certified civil mediator with over 30 years of experience handling complex civil, commercial, and medical malpractice cases. Over my career, I have developed a distinguished reputation as a highly skilled trial attorney and formidable opponent. I was voted by my peers as a Super Lawyer in Washington, DC, and Maryland for multiple years running and named a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society.
In 2013, a cancer diagnosis forced me to leave private practice. I accepted an offer to become Senior Associate General Counsel for Health Sciences at Howard University. In this role, I manage the portfolio of malpractice and general liability claims and lawsuits asserted against Howard University and its affiliated healthcare entities and facilitate their resolution.
I have served on the Washington, D.C. Bar Litigation Section Steering Committee, the Character Committee for Maryland’s Seventh Appellate Circuit in Montgomery County, and Howard University Hospital’s Ethics Committee. Currently, I sit on the Boards of the Delta Housing Corporation of the District of Columbia and the National Brain Tumor Society.
Beyond my contributions in the legal and corporate arenas, I take pride in my decades of community activism in my hometown of Washington, DC. I have volunteered countless hours of service to community outreach initiatives through my church, sorority, and various civic and professional organizations. I also mentor young women navigating their careers in the legal profession. My service to the community and to others is driven in large part by my faith. I firmly believe in the biblical maxim, “To whom much is given, much will be required.” People who educated, supported, and loved me have greatly enriched my life. I strive to do the same for others in honor and gratitude to them.
What do you do and why do you do it?
I am a wearer of many hats — lawyer, adjunct professor, mediator, brain cancer awareness advocate, and most recently, a published author. Writing is my passion, and it’s been a favorite indulgence since my childhood. For the past 30+ years, all of my writing has been constrained by the rules governing legal practice and could only be expressed through law briefs, motions, client reports, and the ever-so-dreaded “poison pen” letter. In 2016, I liberated my inner storyteller and penned my award-winning debut novel, The Other Twin, published in 2021 by an independent, Black-woman-owned publishing house. The Other Twin is a sophisticated coming-of-age story written about young African-American college students navigating sophomore year, but their experiences are relevant and relatable to readers of any age, gender, or ethnicity.
As an additional outlet for my writing, I recently launched the INSPIREMENT blog. What is inspirement, you ask? For me, it’s that happy place at the intersection of inspiration and entertainment; a place where you’re reading a book or listening to a podcast, and without even realizing it, you feel uplifted and energized to do good or just be better. Inspirement was born from my own experience surviving cancer twice and my belief that hope and laughter are integral to well-being.
What changed for you after age 50?
I gained a deeper appreciation for life and for the preciousness of time. I also started living into my vision of my best life, doing all the wonderful things I had once only dreamt of. Turning 50 was monumental for me because just four years earlier, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer and was not expected to survive more than six to eight months. That was more than 11 years ago, which is nothing short of a miracle. I now live with more intentionality and purpose.
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
Be patient with yourself and others! You will birth greatness. And reject every credit card offer that comes in the mail! They’re evil.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
You made a difference in many lives and brought love, joy, inspiration, wisdom, and care to so many. You made people realize that God is bigger and miracles do happen. Your mission of INSPIREMENT is a legacy that will live beyond your years. Well done!
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
Through my writing and speaking, I hope to raise awareness and normalize conversations about brain cancer in my community, and encourage other patients on their treatment journeys. I will reach more people who may be confronting illnesses or difficult challenges of life to encourage and uplift them by my stories of hope and surviving against the odds. My goal is for more people to believe that miracles do happen and we can all live inspired lives!
Who or what inspires you and why?
My desire to live into my God-given purpose is my ultimate inspiration. That purpose is the reason why I was created and, indeed, why I believe I survived brain cancer. My daughter inspires me to live the most productive and impactful life I can, which is the best legacy I can leave.
Something else I’d like to share
We are all empowered to be hope raisers, change makers, and miracle creators. How magical would the world be if we all used our power for the great good of humanity.
“Inspirement is the embodiment of inspiration and entertainment. It’s what guided me as my life took quite a few interesting turns. I easily could have said, okay, you win life, but I didn’t.”
Karen Roberts Turner
The Brief
Overcoming Adversity and Inspiring Others: A Conversation with Karen Roberts Turner
Karen Roberts Turner is a 2x cancer survivor, lawyer, author, and inspirational speaker. She worked as a trial lawyer for 20 years before being diagnosed with breast cancer and then glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. After beating the odds and surviving glioblastoma when most don’t, Karen returned to practicing law as the Senior Associate General Counsel for Health Services at Howard University, then realized her childhood dream of writing an award-winning book titled ‘The Other Twin.’
Beating the Odds Against Glioblastoma
Only about 2% of people diagnosed with glioblastoma survive, making Karen’s story nothing short of a miracle. As she says, “I’m in that incredibly small, definitely low, low single digit.” She continues to fundraise for glioblastoma research and serves on the National Brain Tumor Society board.
“This disease isn’t rare. It’s more common than we think, and it touches many more people than we might realize.”
Writing The Other Twin
The Other Twin is a sophisticated coming-of-age story of twin African-American sisters Ebony and Essence facing real-life challenges in their sophomore year of college. During a snowstorm, Karen had unexpected downtime and just started writing. The characters emerged and came to life.
“I had no idea who they were until they came out and told me. And that’s how they came into being.”
The book spreads a message of hope and positivity for young adults, but has become a loved story for all. People of all ages, genders, and races relate to the stories of friendship, family, and personal growth.
Living a Life of Inspirement
Karen coined the term “Inspirement” to describe her outlook on finding inspiration and entertainment in every situation. She now seeks to uplift others through her writing, speaking, and advocacy work.
“Inspirement is the embodiment of inspiration and entertainment. It’s what guided me as my life took quite a few interesting turns. I easily could have said, okay, you win life, but I didn’t.”
Looking Ahead
Karen has embraced Inspirement as her way of life. She is currently writing her second book while also writing the Inspirement blog to share uplifting stories and conversations. Karen continues to spread awareness for glioblastoma while inspiring others with her miracle story.
Connect with Karen on her website. Experience the Inspirement for yourself!
