Let’s Talk About … Black Women and Breast Cancer 2021 – highlights from this year’s event
Does breast cancer affect black women more aggressively? And if so, why?
This October saw the return of the “Let’s Talk About… Black Women and Breast Cancer” conference to tackle key questions such as these.
Breast care professionals Dr Georgette Oni and Ms Sarah Adomah launched the annual international event back in 2019 to foster a community of collaboration, inspiration and health awareness, while improving the outcomes of Black women around the world.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, mental wellbeing has been a well discussed topic, so this year’s meeting focused primarily on the subject of wellness – for both physicians and patients.
Featuring more new experiences from health advocates and healthcare professionals, here are just a few video highlights from the 2021 event, sponsored by Endomag:
Why breast cancer affects Black women more aggressively - Dr Olubukola Ayodele
Did you know that Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than caucasian women, and are twice as likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer?
During Dr Ayodele’s talk, she spoke about why it’s vital that research continues into why Black women are experiencing more aggressive forms of outcome and what can be done to better prevent or treat the disease.
Watch the video above to find out some of the key contributing factors, plus recommendations for Black women concerned about changes to their breasts.
Supporting greater equality, diversity and inclusion - Baroness Delyth Morgan
“Like the rest of the breast cancer charity sector, we are a very white middle class organisation” Baroness Delyth Morgan
During her talk, Baroness Delyth Morgan of Breast Cancer Now acknowledged the current diversity inequalities in advocacy group key influencing roles, pushing for more work to be done to greater serve the breast cancer community.
In the video above, she shares the new organisational policies that Breast Cancer Now have put in place to provide greater representation and explains how data and appropriate networks will help to support their approach going forwards.
Busting myths around Black women and breast cancer - Dr Angela Esiwe and Ms Sarah Adomah
With so many resources now accessible online to breast cancer patients, it is becoming increasingly easy to encounter misinformation masked as scientific fact.
During this session, Dr Angela Esiwe analysed some of the most common myths around breast cancer and Black women, including cultural, diet and screening misconceptions.
Ms Sarah Adomah then goes on to provide further support by drawing on scientific research which outlines the actual main risk factors for breast cancer, plus the signs and symptoms to look out for.
Reducing recurrence risk through diet and lifestyle - Ms Toral Shah
According to nutritional scientist and three time breast cancer survivor Ms Toral Shah, there are a number of modifiable lifestyle risks that can be reduced through physical lifestyle and the food we put in our body.
In particular she mentioned how a high intake of non-starchy vegetables, dairy products and high calcium foods can have a significant impact on preventing pre and post menopausal breast cancer.
Watch the video to hear how these lifestyle changes combined with consideration of other factors, such as mental health, diabetes and alcohol consumption, can play a particularly important role in reducing recurrence.
Once again, this year’s meeting was a huge success and we thank the organisers for continuing to provide a platform to seek improved outcomes for Black women with breast cancer.