The American Cancer Society Addresses Cancer Disparities

Photo provided by the American Cancer Society.
Photo provided by the American Cancer Society.

The American Cancer Society Addresses Cancer Disparities

By Tia Carol Jones

The American Cancer Society is addressing cancer disparities through a study that is focused on Black women and their health conditions. VOICES of Black Women was launched in 2024, as a nationwide research study, with the goal to better understand cancer and other health care conditions among African American women. Health and life history data is being collected, with the hope that it will help shape the health outcomes for generations to come.

As part of VOICES of Black Women, the American Cancer Society is looking for Black women, between the ages of 25 and 55, who have never been diagnosed with cancer. The study is hoping to reach 100,000 Black women nationwide and impact future prevention strategies for African American women and close the cancer disparities gap.

Janel Moreland wanted to be part of the American Cancer Society’s VOICES of Black Women as a way to honor her grandmother, who she lost to breast cancer before Moreland was born. Moreland is the Founder of Pink Divas and Gents Breast Cancer Organization, which she said she started because she knew about the higher mortality rate of Black women from breast cancer. She wanted to be part of decreasing that mortality rate.

Moreland said she felt it was her responsibility to be part of the study. She understands the magnitude of participating in a study that has the potential to change the outcome for future generations of Black women. She said she is excited to be a  part of that change. As a VOICES Ambassador, she attends community events to spread the word about the study and encourage women to participate.

“I feel like it’s important to reach other women, because it’s not fair that we have a higher mortality rate due to socioeconomics, due to lack of education, due to lack of health insurance and due to healthcare inequalities. I wanted to play my role and increase the awareness among other women who look like me,” Moreland said.

Michelle Hicks-Turner, MPH, with the American Cancer Society, said that despite decades of progress in cancer research and treatment, the organization noticed Black Americans continued to experience higher cancer mortality rates and shorter survival rates than any other racial or ethnic group for most cancers in the United States. She said cancer disparities mean there are blatant differences between one ethnic group or population than another. She said that Black men face the highest overall cancer incident rate with prostate cancer deaths, more than any other racial group.

She said Black women are 30% more likely to die from breast cancer than any other racial group and twice as likely to die when diagnosed before the age of 50. She said what the American Cancer Society has learned about the disparities is that they are driven by the access to care, later diagnosis and experiences of discrimination within the healthcare setting.

Hicks-Turner works with community-based organizations and federally qualified health centers, addressing the data and reminding health care systems to raise the screening rate for African Americans. She also provides those institutions with culturally competent materials that address African Americans and cancer. She said that as the American Cancer Society links arms with community-based organizations, they are the voices in the communities that are the trusted messengers.

“We approach cancer from every angle through the lens of health equity,” Hicks-Turner said.

For more information about American Cancer Society, visit cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345. Those interested in participating in VOICES of Black Women, visit voices.cancer.org.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

Bren Sheriff-"Get Your House In Order"