BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS—Kia Reynolds, far left, Janelle West, third from left, and Nicie Walker-Billings, third from right, were among the breast cancer survivors in Rankin on Aug. 31. All of the women in the photo are breast cancer survivors.
Black women have 40 percent mortality rate
Warriors were in the house at the Rankin Christian Center, Aug. 31.
Seven Black women among the 65 or so at the “Warrior Woman” event currently have breast cancer. But every day, they fight, smile and go on with their lives.
Louise E. Walker of The Black Sheep INspires, LLC, and Hawkeye Productions, LLC, hosted the event to bring awareness to the importance of getting tested for breast cancer.
“This is real,” Walker told the New Pittsburgh Courier. She wanted people to see, in the flesh, people who have breast cancer and to alert the Black community of its dangers.
“We were shocked that a couple women (at the event) that never had (an exam) that were in their 50s,” Walker said.
DENISE JAMISON, LOUISE E. WALKER, SANDEE TERRY
According to the American Cancer Society, Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than White women across the U.S., even though Black women have lower breast cancer incidence rates. Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) among women in the U.S. overall, but for Black women, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death.
And the National Institutes of Health reported that Black women have a higher incidence of breast cancer before age 40 than White women.
Overall, Black women have a 40 percent breast cancer mortality rate.
According to the CDC, some possible signs of breast cancer include: New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit); thickening or swelling of part of the breast; irritation or dimpling of breast skin; redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast; pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area; nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood; any change in the size or the shape of the breast; and pain in any area of the breast. The CDC warns that some people have no symptoms, which is why regular breast screening is so important.
A NUMBER OF VENDORS WERE ON HAND AT THE AUG. 31 EVENT. (PHOTO BY DAYNA DELGADO)
“AUNT NELLIE CAKES” WAS A VENDOR AT THE BREAST CANCER EVENT. (PHOTO BY DAYNA DELGADO)
