Black with breast cancer

• Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, despite having a lower incidence of disease. (ACS, 2022)
• Black women are just as likely to have hereditary breast cancer as white women, yet their participation in genetic counseling and testing is substantially lower. (TOUCH, 2022)
• Fewer than 3% of all medical oncologists in the United States are Black. (JCO Oncology Practice, 2021)

Racial health disparities exist in breast cancer care. With the help of trusted experts, we provide content and tools to help you identify implicit and explicit biases in your care, how to advocate for yourself to get the best care possible, and how you can impact positive change to reduce disparities for others.

Our Knowledge is power: The Black breast cancer series was created in 2019 specifically for people who are newly diagnosed with early-stage or with metastatic breast cancer to help address disparities through live, virtual educational and support sessions, and video content with oncologists, social workers, advocates, and researchers. Through various leadership volunteer programs, we train advocates and members of our community to shine a light on health disparities and the paths forward to improve health outcomes for Black people. We also amplify the voices of Black people impacted by breast cancer and those who care about them.

Video: Breaking down barriers: Getting the care you deserve

In this session from Knowledge is power: Understanding Black breast cancer, Lailea Noel, Ph.D, MSW, and Zanetta Lamar, MD discuss strategies that you can use to get the care you deserve as a Black person diagnosed with breast cancer. They share how breast cancer is experienced differently by Black people due to structural racism, access to quality healthcare, comorbidities, and community access to supportive care and clinical trials.