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Pink Frog??

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I kicked off the month by attending the Pink Frog Foundation, an event in Georgia, which supports areas of a woman's life that insurance often doesn't cover. This includes everyday needs like transportation to doctor's appointments, house cleaning services, and access to fresh fruits and vegetables for nutritional support. My mother and my brother lost their lives to cancer, lymphoma and pancreatic cancer. Both of my family members had a strong support system. I must admit, I hadn't thought much about the kind of support needed, even though I've helped provide support myself. Attending the Pink Frog Foundation event gave me the opportunity to hear firsthand from women who fall into the insurance gap, limiting their access to medical care. One startling fact is that African-American women have a 40% higher breast cancer mortality rate than White women. This is the highest breast cancer mortality rate among any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. The more aggressive subtype of breast cancer is also more common among African American women. Additionally, Black women have the lowest 5-year relative survival rate compared to other racial and ethnic groups. So, why are Black women getting sicker and dying faster?


Black women face greater obstacles to healthcare and overall well-being due to the social determinants of health. The risk factors contributing to these disparities stem from systemic barriers to equity and inclusion in our society. These same factors affect the outcomes of 'Motherism.' Systems like racism, poverty, segregation, and limited access to care are societal issues, and they are preventable. Maybe if equal pay for women—especially Black women—was a reality, if universal health care or affordable access to programs like Obamacare were available to everyone, if childcare were affordable, if homeownership were attainable for those earning minimum wage or low incomes, and if food insecurity and food deserts didn’t exist, the percentage of Black women nationwide struggling to survive and thrive would decrease. These are all social determinants that affect an African-American woman’s ability to heal. It’s easy to say 'Make America Great Again,' but for whom? Certainly not for Black women.


Facts provided by the American Cancer Society


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