Conversations with Makayla Jackson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Makayla Jackson

Hi Makayla, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Cherokee Nation and majored in Sports Venue Management at the University of Missouri. I have worked in sports my entire life including jobs with collegiate sports, MLL, WNBA, and NHL, and now I currently work for a sports agency.

When I am not in a gym; you can find me traveling the world, enjoying my large family, listening to my extensive Spotify playlist, and (unfortunately) solidifying my frequent flyer status at UCHealth. In 2022, I was diagnosed with astrocytoma grade 4, which is an incurable brain cancer. I survived a awake brain surgery, 30 sessions of radiation, and a year of chemotherapy.

Through this experience, I started a blog, “Is There Any Overtime: A Stage 4 Brain Cancer Sports Fanatic’s Attempt to Understand Life.” And in 2025, I grew the blog to a non-profit to support athletes and retired athletes through life-threatening illnesses.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My parents set me up well financially and I had a strong community foundation. However, external forces like health and cultural inequities are stacked against me. In terms of struggles, nothing compares to working through stage 4 cancer at 32. I am hoping for health relief, so I can continue to do this important work.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself a specialist in team sports, and I have worked with about 10 teams, I have worked in non-traditional sports for women like, hockey and lacrosse. I’m most proud of the transformation and re-imagining myself after every career shift and setback.
Now starting my non-profit, I am able to meld all of my skill set. I’ve also been able to integrate my eclectic background with my challenges health and a strong dose of humor. I am most proud of my resilience.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think I have been on the side of luck and skill. I have always tried to put myself in a place to be successful. Thankfully my work ethic has doubled my chances of being lucky. Bad luck is so common in my industry mainly from structural bias, Some people don’t ever get a chance to reach any professional milestones. I have had the privilege to have some good luck, and more importantly I have been able to delegate some luck to others. Even through all the devastation of my health, I still consider myself “lucky”. A piece of the luck is manufactured so that I don’t feel helpless. At my core, I know that I have had so many people selflessly support me and I know that is rare.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.isthereanyovertime.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themakaylajackson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/makrjackson/