Breast cancer is the most common type of breast cancer among Black women, and often times we don’t survive it.
Jacque Reid goes Inside Her Story with Dr. Lori Wilson, a breast cancer surgeon and survivor.
Wilson was diagnosed with stage three breast caner in 2013, right after she stopped breastfeeding her son. She initially grew concerned when she noticed one of her breasts didn’t get smaller.
After going through cancer treatment herself, she became more “empathetic” toward her patients. She said “it really opened my mind to all of the challenges that women face when they go thorough breast cancer.”
Dr. Wilson is a supporter of the Know Your Girls Campaign because she says, “it is a reflection of who we are. Know Your Girls is a Susan G. Komen campaign that focuses on Black women. According to the website, “the first step to closing this health disparity is to help Black women take charge of their breast health by knowing their risk, knowing their bodies, getting screened and talking with their doctors.”
Learn more at Knowyourgirls.org.
20 Breast Cancer Myths
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1. Myth: Exposing a tumor to air during surgery causes cancer to spread
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2. Myths: Women with small breast have a lower chance of getting breast cancer
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3. Myth: Breast implants can raise the risk of getting breast cancer
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4. Myth: Every women has a 1-in-8 chance of getting breast cancer
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5. Myth: If you're at risk of getting breast cancer there isn't much you can do.
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6. Myth: Wearing antiperspirant can increase the risk of breast cancer.
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7. Myth: You can't get cancer after a mastectomy
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8. Myth: Your father's family history of breast cancer doesn't affect you as much as your mothers.
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9. Myth: Getting annual mammograms exposes you to radiation that can cause breast cancer.
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10. Myths: Needle biopsies can disturb cancer cells and cause them to spread to other parts of the body.
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11. Myth: Breast cancer is the, second leading cause of death in the nation after heart disease.
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12. Myth: If your mammography report is negative, there is nothing to worry about.
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13. Myth: Hair straighteners can cause cancer in African American women
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14. Myth: Fertility treatments increase the risk of getting breast cancer.
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15. Myth: Living near power lines can cause breast cancer.
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16. Myth: Having an abortion increases the risk of breast cancer.
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17. Myth: Breast cancer is preventable
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Inside Her Story: Know Your Girls Campaign Focuses On Breast Cancer In Black Women
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