Nationwide — Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African American women, is also the deadliest. Every year, more than 25,000 Black women are diagnosed, and the numbers seem to be going up each year. The median age of diagnosis is 57 years for African American women, compared to 62 years old for white women.
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BE YOUR OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE
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“Breast cancer awareness, detection, treatment, and understanding is crucial to reduce the breast cancer incidences and high mortality rates that African Americans experience. We have so much more access to information, detection services, and medical treatments to help us have better outcomes and live longer lives after a cancer diagnosis.”
- Reona Berry
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While the discrepancies in breast cancer for Black women are part of a broken system, knowledge of ways to lower your risk and be your own health advocate are crucial. All of the ways that we talk to everyone about lowering their risks like eating well, exercising, meditating, avoiding toxic body care, and household products. Checking yourself monthly and knowing what is “normal” for your body is so vital for everyone. We all need to understand the many ways to lower our risk, understand our bodies, and advocate for ourselves, and it is doubly important for those that these systems are failing.
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6 Amazing Breast Cancer Organizations For Black Women
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#1 – The African American Breast Cancer Alliance, Inc (AABCA) is dedicated to building and sharing awareness, connections, education, resources, and support for African American/Black women, men, families, and communities affected by breast cancer. For more details, visit www.aabcainc.org
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#2 – Sisters Network® Inc. is committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community. For more details, visit www.sistersnetworkinc.org
#3 – The Black Women’s Health Imperative is the only organization devoted solely to advancing the health and wellness of America’s 20 million Black women and girls through advocacy and public policy, health education, research, and leadership development. For more details, visit www.bwhi.org
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#4 – Sisters By Choice is an organization that aims to increase breast cancer awareness, education, and early detection. They also provide treatment programs for underserved and uninsured men and women. For more details, visit www.sistersbychoice.org
#5 – Sisters on a Mission provides vital information to hundreds of women, their families, and friends about the risk factors of breast cancer while promoting healthy lifestyles and the processes of early detection such as mammography, regular doctors visits, and breast self-exams. For more details, visit www.sistersonamission.org
#6 – The Denise Roberts Breast Cancer Foundation (TDRBCF), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, aims to change the perception of breast health awareness to one that has little to do with age or gender – to one of understanding that acts as a mighty bridge over troubled waters. For more details, visit www.tdrbcf.org
