Lashelle Scott of Houston remembers the exact moment she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I thought, what do I do now? How do I survive this – and how do I pay for it?” she recalls.
As a self-employed contractor and former political consultant, Lashelle didn’t have health insurance at the time. As she tried to cover the outstanding costs out of pocket, the pain in her breast worsened and she needed more tests.
In February 2021, Lashelle was diagnosed with stage 3 HER2-positive invasive ductal carcinoma with a BRCA2 gene mutation. Early treatment didn’t shrink the tumor. She still remembers the sticker shock of immunotherapy, which cost her about $25,000 per round.
Today, Black women in the U.S. are about 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, and in some major metro areas, they are even 60% more likely to die. Komen recently released updated data on breast cancer mortality in the 10 U.S. cities where Black women die at the highest rates compared to white women. This update, a follow-up to Komen’s Closing the Breast Cancer Gap report, is generally promising but also highlights areas where more work is still needed. Houston is one of these 10 metro areas that still has the greatest disparities.
Your race and where you live shouldn’t determine your chances of surviving breast cancer. But too often, they do. Despite advances in treatment and awareness, many women like Lashelle are still struggling. That’s why Komen is working hand-in-hand with communities to reduce disparities, using data and partnerships to drive real, lasting change. Here are some examples of our strategies to make that change possible.
Answering a Need for Better Early Detection
Lashelle’s family has a history of cancer, a fact she was unaware of before her own diagnosis. She recently lost her mom to stage 4 ovarian cancer. “If I had been (genetically) tested 10 years earlier, I would have been better prepared,” she says.
The risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer is significantly increased in people who inherit BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. Moreover, Black women in the U.S. may be at higher risk of BCRA mutations and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) compared to other racial groups.
One of Komen’s initiatives, called Worship in Pink (WIP), has hosted several events supporting genetic counseling and testing for the Black community. WIP is an evidence-based, volunteer-driven breast health educational outreach program powered by local faith-based communities.
As part of WIP, Komen partnered with two health providers in two of the 10 cities, Houston and Philadelphia, to provide genetic counseling and testing services to Black women. Additional testing was offered to patients with an identified genetic mutation. The initiative has been a great success in Houston, where local churches have hosted these events in partnership with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Komen also partners with local health systems in Houston to make breast cancer screening and follow-up testing available at little or no cost to women.
Meeting the Need for More Compassionate Care
To date, Lashelle has been through six rounds of chemotherapy, 24 rounds of immunotherapy and a partial mastectomy with lymph node removal. Small growths were later found in her right breast, and cancer cells are still present in her left breast, so her treatment continues.
The emotional toll of these treatments has been heavy. And Lashelle says the lack of empathy from some of her health care providers has contributed to these challenges.
“The oncologist thought I was challenging her when I asked questions,” she recalls. “When a vein collapsed under my (treatment) port, I knew something was wrong. The more questions I asked, the more combative she got. Finally, she said, ‘Well, we can just stop your treatment,’ and she walked out of the room. She left me by myself for 30 minutes, came back and didn’t apologize.”
In the end, Lashelle found a new oncologist who was more attentive to her concerns.
Through our Patient Care Center (PCC), Komen is training a culturally responsive and diverse team of patient navigators with our Navigation Nation Training Program. This free online training equips navigators to remove barriers to care that drive disparities, while reflecting the diverse cultures and lived experiences of breast cancer patients. By providing personalized, compassionate care, these navigators can address critical – but often overlooked – emotional and psychological needs.
Breaking Barriers and Building Healthier Communities
Lashelle has turned her past experiences into advocacy, and today is an active breast cancer policy lobbyist, serving as a TigerLily ANGEL Advocate and Komen Advocacy Ambassador, among other roles. In 2023, she drafted a bill to expand access to care in Texas. It didn’t pass, but she’s not giving up. “To make real change, we have to pass policy,” she says.
Breast cancer disparities for Black women are not just a “problem” – they are a public health crisis with far-reaching and deeply personal consequences. Every life lost or harmed leaves a lasting impact, creating emotional, social and financial ripples that spread far beyond the individual. These disparities not only strain families and workplaces, but our health care system as a whole.
By identifying and addressing the systemic barriers that drive these inequities, we’re not only saving lives, we’re laying the foundation for healthier communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
To learn more about Komen’s work in the 10 cities, read our recently published report.
Collective action is a more powerful agent for change than individual action. Join us to build community and add your voice through connecting with our Patient Care Center, signing up to be an Advocacy Insider or participating in ShareForCures.
