We Need More Breast Health Education for Women of Color Under 45

1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point during her lifetime. But if you look closer, you’ll find that breast cancer is more common among African American women under 45 than white women. And overall, the mortality rate for African American women diagnosed with breast cancer is 45% higher than white women’s rate.

So that’s why every month, not just Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we should be discussing the importance of breast health education for our mothers, daughters, and sisters in this country. While there is no cure for breast cancer right now, we can still do our part to advocate for breast health education because early detection, self-screening, and healthy lifestyles can, in fact, save someone’s life.

Women of color aren’t being equipped to take charge of their breast health best, and this needs to change. If you’re unfamiliar with the toll that breast cancer can take on a person, then keep reading to learn why breast health education is necessary.

We can’t prevent breast cancer, but we can give women the tools they need to make informed decisions about their health.

When women are informed about how to take care of their breast health by doing self-screenings, regular doctor’s visits, and more, they are better equipped to notice changes to their breasts early on. In addition, teaching women what they need to know about breast health now could potentially save them from a more severe case of breast cancer down the line.

African American women tend to be diagnosed at a younger age than white women.

If Black women are being diagnosed earlier, then this means that they need to receive breast health education earlier, too. Patients can receive better health outcomes when cancer is detected earlier, so by educating women earlier on, their chances of early detection can only increase.

Breast health education empowers women to take control of their health.

You know what they say. When you know better, you do better, and this saying can be applied to breast health, too. When women are given the knowledge and resources that they need to understand their risk factors, how to self-screen, and more, then they can feel empowered to do better for the sake of their breasts’ health.

It’s time to face the fact that breast cancer is the most common cancer besides skin cancers among women in America. And unfortunately, due to underlying health conditions, environmental factors, ethnicity, and more, women of color face a greater risk of a breast cancer diagnosis.

No one wants to hear someone tell them they have breast cancer, and no one wants to be the bearer of bad news. So, let’s all do our part to educate ourselves and our loved ones on the importance of breast health education this Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can show your support for breast cancer awareness by wearing pink in October or all year long!