Susan G. Komen® Toolkit Addresses Gaps in Breast Cancer Outcomes Facing Black and African-American Women
Free, Online Resource Provides Tools and Information for Breast
Cancer Educators
DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Susan G. Komen today announced the launch of a free
educational resource that provides accurate and useful information
about breast cancer to women and men in the Black and African-American
communities, furthering Komen’s commitment to eliminating the
disparities in breast cancer mortality rates affecting women of color in
the United States.
Available online
now, this new Toolkit provides Komen, its network of Affiliates and
community organizations nationwide with culturally relevant breast
cancer information for Black and African-American women and men. This
evolving resource gives health educators and community leaders essential
breast cancer information that can be shared with the community.
While African-American women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast
cancer overall than their white counterparts, nationwide statistics show
they are 44 percent more likely to die from the disease. Young
African-American women (under 45 years of age) are more likely to be
diagnosed with breast cancer than white women in the same age groups,
and African-American women overall are more likely to be diagnosed at
more advanced stages and with more aggressive forms of the disease (such
as triple negative breast cancer).
“Achieving health equity for every person facing breast cancer is a top
priority for Komen,” said Komen President and CEO Judy Salerno, M.D.,
M.S. “By providing accurate breast cancer information to women and
health educators through this Toolkit, we hope to reduce the profound
breast cancer disparities affecting Black and African-American
communities, increase knowledge of this disease, and help women feel
more confident to make important breast care decisions.”
This Toolkit is intended to support health educators working with the
Black and African-American communities, by providing culturally specific
communication resources including tips, sample messages, breast cancer
statistics, resources to address barriers to care and videos.
“We now have a way to empower Black and African-American women with the
knowledge and information they need to become more proactive about their
breast health. The Toolkit will play a key role in helping to mitigate
the fear and avoidance we see among women in the community about getting
their annual mammograms. It will also play an instrumental role in
helping to dispel the myths about screening and breast cancer that exist
in the community,” said Rhonda M. Smith, CEO of Breast Cancer Partner,
and Project Manager, Susan G. Komen Circle of Promise California
Initiative.
The new Toolkit augments the more than $90 million in research that
Komen has invested in understanding and addressing
breast cancer disparities. Last year, Komen published a similar
Toolkit for the Hispanic/Latino community.
Educators and anyone interested in using this resource (or the bilingual
Breast Cancer Education Toolkit for Hispanic/Latino Communities) can
register to access and download this resource at komentoolkits.org.
About Susan G. Komen®
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization,
funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while
providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding
in 1982, Komen has funded more than $889 million in research and
provided $1.95 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
Suzy’s life. Visit komen.org
or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social.
Contacts
Susan G. Komen
Andrea Rader, 972-855-4382
press@komen.org
