Friday, October 13, 2017

Civil Rights Activist’s Legacy Raises Breast Cancer Awareness Among Black Women

When civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer spoke these historic words at the Williams Institutional C.M.E. Church in Harlem in 1964, she was talking about racial inequality among people of color.

Today, the quote is shared frequently online, and for women with breast cancer, it is not only a call to action, but a cry for help. Hamer, who would have turned 100 on Oct. 6, 2017, died from breast cancer at age 59 — a tragedy thousands of women of color face today.

A new report by the American Cancer Society shows the number of breast cancer deaths dropped 39 percent between 1989 and 2015, saving 322,600 lives in 26 years. While it's a positive sign attributed to advanced treatment and early detection, the report also shows a racial health disparity between black and white women. 

Click here for the full article. 

Source: NBC News 

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