July 18, 2018
Page 15
Breast Cancer Disparities Study Begins
Community
team leads
Komen effort
In the United States, black
women die more often and are of-
ten diagnosed younger with more
aggressive forms of breast cancer
than white women. The Susan G.
Komen Oregon and Southwest
Washington foundation is taking
aim at reversing those unwanted
trends.
As the first step in developing
a multi-year initiative to address
breast cancer disparities, Komen
has partnered with a team of in-
dependent contractors who are
actively involved with the Port-
land-metro area’s African Amer-
ican community. The project,
funded in part by a grant Komen
received from the OHSU Knight
Cancer Institute Community
Partnership Program, was to be
outlined on Wednesday during a
scheduled news conference at the
Portland NAACP office.
The research team reflects the
community for its diversity and
includes Angela Owusu-Ansah,
PhD, professor of doctoral studies
at Concordia University in north-
east Portland; D. Bora Harris,
MPA, diversity consultant; and
Kelvin Hall, doctoral candidate
and community advocate.
Data around demographics,
breast cancer screening habits, and
barriers to breast cancer screening
and treatment will be collected as
they look to inform Komen’s work
in reducing breast cancer mortali-
ty in Portland’s African American
community.
“The disparities are shocking.
African American women, in the
US, die from breast cancer nearly
40 percent more than white wom-
en. We need to address this!” stat-
ed Andrew Asato, CEO of Susan
G. Komen Oregon & SW Wash-
ington. “We’re looking forward to
Dr. Owusu-Ansah and her team,
whose incredible talents exactly
fit our needs, collecting the data
that will inform our future efforts,
and helping us to create the com-
munity advisory group that will
guide the formation of a multi-
year Komen African American
Initiative.”
Mr. Hall shared, “Fighting can-
cer is my mission right now. This
research and development project
seeks to join a shared community,
local and globally, to find a cure to
support the defeat and elimination
of this disease.”
Mr. Asato continued, “Thanks
to the support of organizations
like Legacy Health, we have a
successful breast health education
program in the faith-based com-
munity, called Worship in Pink.
Now, it is time to move beyond
education and do what we can to
encourage action.”
A new effort to address breast
cancer disparities in Portland’s
African American community is
led by Cindy Fletcher, director
of programs for the Susan G.
Komen Oregon and Southwest
Washington foundation; Dr.
Angela Owusu-Ansah, professor
of doctoral studies at Concordia
University; Bridget Jamieson,
Komen’s community programs
manager; D. Bora Harris,
diversity consultant; and Kelvin
Hall, doctoral candidate and
community advocate.
Dr. Owusu-Ansah commented,
“We, as independent agents, are
thrilled to work in tandem with
Komen Oregon & SW Washing-
ton, to serve our community with
warmth and humility. Reminded
of our shared goals, we value the
partnership and collaboration to-
wards a better and common future
of dignity, respect, and lived lives.
We believe we will rediscover the
resilience, determination, energy,
and infinite diversity of African
American women. And together,
we will initiate new approaches
for progress and health, for hu-
manity as a whole.”
Ms. Harris added, “It is refresh-
ing to interact and participate in
meaningful dialogue, where the
outcome is beneficial to the com-
munity as a whole. In addition to
health disparities within our un-
derserved and underrepresented
communities, as African Ameri-
can women, we have historically
been taught to ‘hush’ concerning
many things. This tradition of
silence may have negatively im-
pacted several phases of our qual-
ity of life in respect to our health.”
Vancouver NAACP Voter Drive
Elections matter. From school
superintendent to sheriff to sen-
ator to president, our elected of-
ficials determine the quality and
equality of our law enforcement,
public education system, and so
much more. But our representa-
tives can hardly be representative
of our communities or tour needs
if we do not do our civic duty.
The message about voting
comes from the Vancouver branch
of the NAACP which is inviting
the community to join them on
Saturday, July 21 for a voter reg-
istration drive, community meet-
ing and potluck. The event will
be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at
the Vancouver Housing Authority,
2500 Main St.