(Breast Cancer Statistics | How Common Is Breast Cancer? (n.d.). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer. )

"When I think of breast cancer, I think of, you know, an older woman ― 40 or 60 ― but not 21 or 22," says Jessica. Jessica, who leads a healthy lifestyle and has no family history of breast cancer, discussed her worries with her primary care practitioner. "My gynecologist told me that it could not be breast cancer because I was too young to have breast cancer," says Jessica. Her instincts, on the other hand, drove her to seek a second opinion. Jessica was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer by the time anyone noticed. 

"African American women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer earlier when compared to Caucasian women, and unfortunately, they have three times the mortality rate," says Sabrina Sahni, M.D., an oncologist and breast specialist at the Jacoby Center for Breast Health at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

To this day, Jessica is still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Stories like hers really showcase the importance of eliminating the stigma and systemic barriers that prevent Black women from receiving adequate healthcare.

Osiadacz, A. (2021, October 13). A third chance for a young breast cancer patient. Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/a-third-chance-for-a-young-breast-cancer-patient/ 

• Approximately $183 billion was spent in the U.S. on cancer-related health care in 2015, and this amount is projected to grow to $246 billion by 2030 - an increase of 34%.
• The average total cost of per-patient breast cancer treatment ranges from $60,000 to as much as $135,000 depending on your diagnosis. 

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, July 25). Basic Information About Breast Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/index.htm) 

• Costs for non-covered services do not count toward a patient's out-of-pocket maximum, so patient costs for non-covered treatments are unlimited and can add up quickly. 
• High deductible plans require patient to pay full price for all tests out-of-pocket until the deductible is met. 
• Cancer patients often have trouble finding out what the total cost for treatment will be ahead of time, and therefore cannot predict the amount of co-insurance they will owe. 
• Surprise medical bills occur when an insured patient is unknowingly treated by an out-of-network provider and is then billed the difference between what the provider charger and what the insurer paid. 
• Unexpected costs for preventive/screening services due to loopholes that can qualify a routine screening as a diagnostic procedure and change the charges to be that of a diagnostic procedure. 

• 5-year relative survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer that had not spread beyond the breast was 99%. 
• With recent improvements in treatment, survival for women diagnosed today may be even higher. 
• It is important to be diagnosed early to be able to avoid chemotherapy which is both costly and very difficult on the individual's body.  

• 15 Pledge for Pink Ambassadors meet for 4 hours for 3 days a week for 2 weeks for training and to design ThinkPINK outreach materials and messages for social media campaign

Pledge For Pink Ambassadors Conduct ThinkPINK Training

• Pledge for Pink Ambassadors distribute information sheets and conduct street outreach to Black women in 4 major cities in California to encourage them to attend the ThinkPINK training.

• Pledge for Pink Ambassadors conduct a 1.5 hour ThinkPINK educational meeting once a month on Saturdays (afternoon) and Sundays (morning) across 4 major cities within 4 California counties for 17 months

  • Training Approach

    • Observation

    • Interactive lectures

    • Creating a plan

Conduct Social Media Campaign

• Promote awareness about breast cancer, and how to detect early signs through flyers, posters, and social media posts using our campaign messages.

• "ThinkPINK" social marketing campaign runs for 10 months

• Pledge for Pink Ambassadors engage in media advocacy by obtaining interviews in with television and print local news, and sharing short informational videos on our website and social media pages.

• Share information about local breast cancer screening clinics, support groups, and other services

• Share personal stories for others to see and hear

  • By using social media campaign as a tool it will help our program to reach and connect easily to convey our message within larger communities for African American women

• Gather videos and photos of our events and upload them to our social media page and our website to acknowledge our efforts and accomplishments

• Conduct evaluation activities

• Develop a final report of the Pledge for Pink program