By Rhonda Smith, Special to Black Media Partners of California
In 2008, I received news that no one wanted to hear. I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, with an ER/PR positive tumor.
The road to recovery was difficult, and it took a more than just physical toll on my body. She has grappled with the emotional and mental stress of navigating a health care system that often fails to meet the unique needs of Black women. There was no guide to guide me through this journey, no prescription to lighten the burden, no… road map To help me overcome the challenges ahead.
The stark truth that is the black woman 41% more likely to die Breast cancer compared to white women is a grim reminder of the systemic inequalities that pervade our health care system. According to the American Cancer Society, Black Americans have the highest mortality rate and shortest survival rate of any racial or ethnic group in the country. This disparity extends beyond breast cancer, affecting colorectal, prostate, lung, and other cancers.
To help overcome these inequalities, we must attack cancer at its roots; We must detect it early, and we must ensure that the means to detect cancer early are available to the communities most at risk. I consider myself lucky to have received a stage 1 diagnosis. However, it pains me to know that for many other women, breast cancer is often discovered at later, more advanced stages.
Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon. Some California members of Congress — especially U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25) — are taking decisive action. Ruiz is the lead sponsor of a bill aimed at expanding access to advanced early detection tools for Medicare beneficiaries, including millions of Black Americans in underserved communities. With bipartisan support, this bill is closer to passage than ever before.
Named in honor of Nancy Gardner Sewell, civil rights pioneer and passionate advocate for health justice, Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multiple Cancer Early Detection Coverage Act It will ensure that Medicare has the freedom it needs to cover an exciting new class of cancer screening tests once the FDA approves them.
These tests use the latest scientific advances to identify cancer signals in a patient’s bloodstream. They can identify many different types of cancer from a single blood draw, greatly improving doctors’ ability to detect cancer early and at stages when it is most treatable.
The next phase of our fight against cancer—and the disproportionate toll it takes on Black Americans—begins by urging Congress to pass the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multiple Cancer Early Detection Act and ensure the benefits of this legislation reach all corners of our society. Communities.
I am not advocating change for myself, but for every black woman who has faced, or will face, a similar battle.
Together, we can rewrite the health care narrative, detect and treat cancer earlier, and ensure every woman has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of her race or background.
About the author
Rhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, leads initiatives to advance health equity for Black Californians, drawing on her experience from roles including consulting and leading health disparities initiatives for BIPOC communities. With an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech, Rhonda has led transformative projects such as the LiveHealthy OC Initiative and the Susan G. Komen® Circle of Promise California initiative to address and advance health disparities. Complete personal care approach.
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