By Angela G. Barnes
The National Cancer Institute predicts nearly 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2015. A disproportionate number of those people will be black women. This edition of Medill Newsmakers explores how one Chicago group is trying to lower the mortality rate.
Although white women have higher breast cancer diagnoses, black women have higher death rates and are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
A local non-profit organization is using its time and resources to help reduce breast cancer high death rates in Chicago’s black neighborhoods.
Sisters Working It Out (also-known-as SWIO) is helping to spring women into action about their health by giving them free tools for early detection, prevention and self-advocacy.
It also strives to support women and infuse positive messages in the community through social support, education, health fairs and screening events wherever their services are needed.
See how one woman’s life was literally saved through one of its free services.