Leading into National Black History Month, it’s ideal for Late Night Health host Mark Alyn to have a discussion about how to rewrite breast cancer mortality history for African American women.
In a conversation with Arnedra Jordan, an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County Circle of Promise, Mark learns that gains from the war on breast cancer have by and large sidestepped African American women.
Prior to 1980, African American and White women faced nearly identical mortality rates of approximately 33 deaths per 100,000. But today, nationally, African American women are 40 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than White women are, between 40 and 70 % more likely to have a late-stage diagnosis, are more likely to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, and are also more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age. Yet in Los Angeles County, the death rate is 56 percent higher and, in Long Beach, the mortality rate is 70 percent higher.
Circle of Promise is a state-wide effort of Susan G. Komen in California to address breast health disparities that confront the African American community.
It is:
Vision: Greater health equity and a significant increase in positive breast cancer outcomes for African American women.
Mission: To educate, engage, empower African American women to move through the breast health continuum of care seamlessly and efficiently.
Goal: The broader gains of the second phase of Circle of Promise will be increased access to quality care, greater utilization of primary care and health prevention services, improved health knowledge and literacy, a positive change in health behaviors and an overall improvement in the health status of African American women in each of the priority communities.
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. Komen has set a Bold Goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026. Komen was founded in 1982 by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. http://www.komen.org/.
About the Los Angeles County 21st Annual Race for the Cure®
The Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County 21st Annual Race for the Cure® will be held at Dodger Stadium, on Saturday, March 10 to ensure all women in Los Angeles County have access to crucial breast health services and that Susan G. Komen can continue to fund groundbreaking research to find the cures for breast cancer. You can register at http://komenlacounty.org/race.
