This October, start with awareness…

At For the Breast of Us, we’re committed to doing more than make people aware of breast cancer. Instead, we want people to be aware of how the disease affects women of color. Women who face the biggest health disparities, but are often overlooked in the cancer community. So, we asked women of color to define their breast cancer experience — to sum up the good, the bad and all that’s between, in one word.

The result is a beautiful gallery of strength and struggle.

…end with action

But don’t just be aware of how we feel, be inspired to take action and discover how you can support women of color affected by breast cancer.

  1. Donate to research

    While there are some communities like communities of color, that would benefit from targeted breast cancer awareness campaigns, we encourage you to support research focused on heredity and ethnicity and metastasis. African American women are more likely to have triple negative breast cancer, a type that is associated with poorer outcomes, and are four times more likely to die from the disease than their white counterparts. Hispanic women are more likely to have larger tumors and hormone-receptor negative cancer, both are more difficult to treat. However, together they represent less than 8 percent of clinical trials (Story Half Told). Support research working to better treat underserved communities and give them a stronger chance to beat the disease.

  2. Donate to a reputable charity

    Make a gift to nonprofits making a measurable difference in the lives of people affected by breast cancer, but keep in mind all nonprofits are not created equal. You can research a nonprofit before making a gift using sites like Charity Navigator or GuideStar. A few nonprofits we love are Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Metavivor and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

  3. Beware of pink washing

    Think before you pink. Pink washing is when a company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease. Or when a company or organization promotes a pink ribbon product that barely supports the cause or doe not support the cause the cause at all.

  4. Participate in research

    The Army of Women is a program of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. This groundbreaking initiative connects women and men, with or without breast cancer, to researchers committed to solving important breast cancer questions. Yes, you read that right. You DO NOT have to be diagnosed with breast cancer to participate in breast cancer research.

  5. Support a breast cancer baddie

    Like For the Breast of Us, not all Breast Cancer Baddies choose to create nonprofits. The odds are you know a thriver, survivor or metavivor working hard to create a better life after cancer and your support of their business helps make their dream a reality. Buy their book, share their podcast, make a non-tax deductible gift to their business or rock their cute merchandise.

  6. Be an accomplice

    Women are diagnosed with breast cancer all year. So, you have a chance to be an accomplice just as long. Check out Our Accomplice Guide to help non-women of color support women of color in the movement to end health disparities in the breast cancer community.

  7. Advocate

    Unfortunately, cancer is a political issue. Organizations like Triage Cancer and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network work hard to make sure people affected by cancer have access to quality healthcare, and protections from discrimination. Take a moment to ask your U.S. Senator to increase funding of breast cancer research or help remove the 5-month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance for people affected by metastatic breast cancer.

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