October 1 marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting education, research, and supporting resources related to an illness that affects millions every year. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that this year, there have been more than 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer, and according to Susan G. Komen, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
While there has been a 42% decline in breast cancer deaths over the past 30 years, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation has found that there is still a “mortality gap” between Black women and white women. And even though Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than white women, they are about 41% more likely to die from the disease, research shows.
This is why early detection is important, and more information about breast cancer awareness is key for Black women. There are still systemic and socioeconomic barriers related to breast cancer screenings, healthcare access, and preventative care, but several Black women celebrities and leaders have lent their voices, influence, and fame to advocate for more investment, awareness, and resources in the fight against breast cancer.
Tina Knowles
Tina Knowles
Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
When ex-husband Mathew Knowles revealed his battle with breast cancer, Tina Knowles spoke out, telling ET, “Thank God he [discovered] it very early on, and he is going to be fine. I’m [calling] it." She also serves on the board of the BeyGOOD Foundation, which has also launched breast cancer awareness initiatives and advocacy efforts.
Sara Sidner
CNN anchor Sara Sidner revealed her cancer diagnosis in January, adding that she’d gone through chemotherapy and would have a double mastectomy.
“Just take a second to recall the names of eight women who you love and know in your life. Just eight. Count them on your fingers. Statistically, one of them will get or have breast cancer. I am that 1 in 8 in my friend group,” Sidner said live on the air.
Desiree Rogers
Desirée Rogers, CEO of Black Opal, has served on the board of the American Cancer Society and has spoken widely about the importance of breast cancer awareness. She is a survivor and has shared her own story of finding out, advocating for herself, and continuing to pursue her highest career goals in the process.
"I learned I am strong. I am actually a warrior, and I will do what it takes to live," Rogers told an ABC 7 Chicago reporter in 2021.
Mary J. Blige
Mary J Blige
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
In 2022, Mary J. Blige joined Jill Biden and the American Cancer Society to encourage advocacy through the launch of national meetings on breast and cervical cancer. President Joe Biden and the first lady had relaunched the “cancer moonshot” initiative that year, allotting more funds for cancer research.
Blige shared that she lost aunts and other family members to breast, cervical, and lung cancer, and she has been a public proponent of early detection via cancer screenings, working with the Black Women’s Health Imperative in 2021.
Wanda Sykes
In 2011, comedian and actress Wanda Sykes admitted for the first time on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she was diagnosed. “I had breast cancer,” she shared. “Yeah, I know it’s scary.” She found out after getting a breast reduction. “I had real big boobs, and I just got tired of knocking over stuff.”
“It wasn’t until after the reduction that in the lab work, the pathology, that they found that I had DCIS [ductal carcinoma in situ] in my left breast. I was very, very lucky because DCIS is basically stage-zero cancer.” She had a double mastectomy, she added.
In the years following, she has since used her platform to raise funds and awareness for research, early detection, and support.
Patti LaBelle
This powerhouse singer, actress, and lifestyle brand mogul has had personal experience with cancer, losing three sisters to the illness. She has used her talent and multiple platforms to raise awareness of various cancers, including breast cancer, featured in the 2022 PSA campaign "Stop Breast Cancer For Life."
Ericka Hart
Ericka HartPhoto by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
A social justice advocate and sexuality educator, Ericka Hart's empowering platform intersects race, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ rights, and sex positivity. She’s a breast cancer survivor and has boldly walked runways showing her double-mastectomy scars, and she has been featured in empowerment and education campaigns. She works as a speaker, activist, and college educator.
Bershan Shaw
Entrepreneur, speaker, and reality TV co-star Bershan Shaw received a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis in her 30s and has shared her story of resilience, healing, and life transitions throughout that period of her life. She is the founder of URA Warrior, a mental health and wellness support community with a recently launched app.
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Camesha created the organization after her struggles with mental health and the lack of community she experienced. The Chicago native explains how she created Sista Afya to be rooted in “culturally grounded care.”
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“So at my organization, Sista Afya Community Care, we focus on providing mental health care through a cultural and gender lens,” she tells xoNecole. “So when we think about the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, we think about the multiple identities that lead to certain experiences and outcomes as it relates to Black women.
“So in the context of culturally grounded care, being aware of the cultural history, the cultural values, and then also the current issues that impact mental health outcomes.”
Words like “strong” and “independent” have long been associated with Black women for some time and many of us have begun to embrace the soft life and are using rest as a form of resistance. However, some of us still struggle with putting ourselves first and overall shedding the tainted image of the “strong, Black woman” that had been forced on us.
Camesha shares that while there’s more and more communities being created around empowerment and shared interests like running, she still questions, “are Black women really comfortable with being vulnerable about sharing their experiences?”
Being vulnerable with ourselves and others play an important role in healing the instinctive nature of always being “on” for everyone. “I'm currently facilitating a group on high functioning depression, and yesterday, we talked about how when Black women may be struggling or have shared their concerns with other people. They may be minimized, or they're told to just be strong, or it's not so bad, or I went through something worse back in Jim Crow era, so you should be thankful,” she explains.
“So I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people. So that is probably a very common theme. I think we've made a lot of progress when we talk about the superwoman syndrome, the mammy stereotype, the working hard stereotype, the nurturing stereotype. I think we're beginning to unpack those things, but I still see that we have definitely a long way to go in that area.”
I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people.
Roman Samborskyi/ Shutterstock
While we’re unpacking those things, we know that we’re still women at the end of the day. So as we continue to serve in various roles like mothers, daughters, sisters, and caretakers, we have to make caring for ourselves a priority. Camesha reveals four ways we can still care for others without abandoning ourselves.
Trust
First things first, trust. Camesha explains, “Some of the burdens that Black women have can be linked to not feeling like you can trust people to carry the load with you.
“It's hard because people experience trauma or being let down or different experiences, but one of the things that I found personally is the more that I'm able to practice trust, the more I'm able to get my needs met. Then, to also show up as my best to care for other Black women.”
Know Your Limitations
Another thing Camesha highlighted is Black women knowing their limitations. “The other thing that I would like to bring up in terms of a way to care for yourself is to really know your limitations, or know how much you can give and what you need to receive,” she says.
“So often, what I see with Black women is giving, giving, giving, giving, giving to the point that you're not feeling well, and then not receiving what you need in return to be able to feel well and whole individually. So I really think it's important to know your limitations and know your capacity and to identify what it is that you need to be well.”
Don’t Take On A Lot Of Responsibilities
Next on the list is not taking on so many responsibilities, sharing herself as an example. “The other thing is taking on too much responsibility, especially in a time of vulnerability.
“One thing that I personally struggled with was being so passionate about community mental health for Black women, and saying yes to everything and taking on so much responsibility,” she reveals. “That affected me to do well in serving Black women and then also impacting my own well being.”
Practice Self-Care
Lastly, she notes the importance of practicing self-care. “The last thing is really practicing regular self care, regular community care, so that it's embedded into your daily life. So for me, having prepared meals, going to the gym, getting eight hours of sleep, spending time with friends and family, all of those things are part of my self care that keep me at my best,” she explains.
“Then community care, leaning into social networks or social groups, or spending time with other interests or hobbies. That's a part of my community care that keeps me going, so that I can take care of my needs, but also to be able to show up best in care for others.”
Find out more about Camesha and Sista Afya Community Care at communitycare.sistaafya.com.
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