Dear Black Women, Please Get Mammograms.
I hope this article isn’t a day late and a dollar short as Breast Cancer Awareness month was in October.
I meant to write this article then, but life got in the way.
Yet, I know it’s not too late because it’s never too late to go to the doctor for checkups and to take care of your health. This doesn’t mean the occasional urgent care visit when you’re sick with a cold, stomach bug, or you sprained a muscle. It means that every year you should go to the doctor for blood work, a urine analysis, and to have all vitals checked. For women, it also means a pap smear and a breast exam. If you’re over 40, it also means a mammogram.
I also think this article is still timely because I’m determined to be an advocate for Black women and the issues that pertain to us.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for Black women. Black women are 38% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. Black women suffer from breast cancer in ways that are worse than other races of women, yet Black women are less likely to take measures like getting annual mammograms to aid in early detection and decrease mortality rates.
According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation —
In the United States, breast cancer continues to be the most common cancer and the…
