Susan G. Komen® Central Valley Implementing Educational Breast Cancer Initiative Targeting African-American Women

Fresno, Calif. (February 23, 2015) – Susan G. Komen® Central Valley and the six other Komen affiliates in California are currently pushing an initiative that is empowering African-American women by helping them utilize life-saving, preventive services and detecting breast cancer at an early stage.

The Susan G. Komen® Circle of Promise California Initiative was launched in August of 2014, thanks to a “challenge” grant from Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, L.L.C. The grant is being used to improve health care delivery systems and outcomes for African-American women. Komen Central Valley recognizes that African-American women are affected by breast cancer differently than Caucasian women, due to social, cultural, financial and geographical factors.

The impacts of breast cancer are felt differently between these two groups. African-American women have a 41 percent higher mortality rate from breast cancer than Caucasian women. African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than any other form of cancer, and other than lung cancer it is the type most likely to lead to death. In 2013, it was expected that 27,060 new cases of breast cancer would occur in the U.S. among these women. It is also predicted that one in nine African-American women in the U.S. will diagnosed with the disease during the course of their life, and these women also tend to diagnosed with larger tumors. It is expected that these women are more likely to be diagnosed with a higher stage of breast cancer than white women.

“Education is a vital key to understanding why breast cancer screening is so important for early detection,” said Sharon Johnson, executive director of Komen Central Valley and two-time breast cancer survivor. “Help is needed by ambassadors from the African-American community to help reach out to church groups and other affiliations in the Fresno County area.

” February is Black History Month, so in order to better inform the community of this initiative, 100 Fresno Area Express (FAX) buses have been carrying special ads inside them in order to for the transit users to learn about the Circle of Promise. According to the Fresno Area Express, the buses make one million passenger trips per month in the city of Fresno. The ads are paid for in part by Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, L.L.C., Pelco by Schneider Electric, and Komen Central Valley. They are being displayed in the buses from Feb. 2 to mid-March.

Debbie Garrett, who is with the California Health Collaborative, the Every Woman Counts program, as well as a member of the Komen board of directors and an advisory council member to the Komen Circle of Promise, believes a similar initiative might have helped save her mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 1985.

“If there were other strong advocates doing something like this in the community, and if we talked about breast cancer more, more lives could be saved,” Garrett said.

There are some cultural myths Komen Central Valley is working to dispel. Some common myths are that one has to have a family history of breast cancer in order to be diagnosed; only older women are at risk; and only women get breast cancer. Other false notions are that mammograms help breast cancer to spread; breast cancer always comes in the form of a lump; and according to the National Cancer Institute, antiperspirants and deodorants do not lead to the development of breast cancer.

Komen Central Valley has four tips for breast self-awareness it impresses. One is to know your risk; two is to get screened; three is to know what is normal for you; and four is to make healthy lifestyle choices.

“The goal of Komen Central Valley is to provide outreach and education to ensure all African-American women, regardless of socioeconomic status, are empowered to take personal action to access screenings and treatment locally,” Johnson said.