Black Women in the U.S. are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
A recent study showed that while 92 percent of black women say breast health is important, only 25 percent of them discuss it within their family and only 17 percent have taken the steps to understand the risks.
To address this unfortunate disparity, Susan G. Komen and Ad Council have launched a national campaign called Know your Girls to educate and inspire black women to learn about their risk for breast cancer to take action.
In addition to the previous statistic, the study found that black women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer younger with more aggressive forms of the disease, which limits treatment options.
“As a breast cancer survivor who lost her mother to breast cancer, I understand all too well the pain and heartbreak of this disease,” said Paula Schneider, President, and CEO of Susan G. Komen. “We hope this campaign empowers black women to learn about breast cancer risk and the resources available to take action.”
Know Your Girls :60 | Breast Cancer Risk Education | Ad Council
Some knowledge belongs to us and us alone. The way our girlfriends walk, the way they talk, the way they touch their hair. We hold details that only a sister can know about her girls. But what about our other girls? The ones that we carry with us every day?
Susan G. Komen is the worlds largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit outside of the federal government while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. A frequent partner with the NFL, Komen has set a Bold Goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $956 million in research and provided more than $2.1 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzys life. That promise has become Komens promise to all people facing breast cancer.
