The Baltimore City Cancer Program is encouraging women to be proactive when it comes to breast cancer, especially during the month of October.
"It's very important, I think it's very important that people know that they get screened, because screening can lead to early detection, and the earlier cancer is detected, the more options there are available in terms of treatment, and better likelihood of survivorship over time," Doctor Shana Ntiri said.
One in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Think about that, you or a woman you know goes out to dinner with seven girlfriends. One woman at that table will have breast cancer.
Dr. Ntiri says there's easy ways to be proactive and stay healthy.
"There are three words I like to say to people,
- Be Informed. You need to be aware of what screening recommendations are, what your personal risks are, and have a conversation with a doctor.
- To Be Encouraged. It is really important that people know, we can make a difference with action. There are more breast cancer survivors in the country today than there have been in the past.
- To Be Empowered. To actually take an action. To be an advocate for yourself, to do the best to improve your health. So to eat a healthy diet, to exercise, to avoid things like smoking and alcohol. If you feel there is something wrong, to do something about that, to not ignore that," Ntiri said.
Komen Maryland has granted more than $850,000 since 2009 to disparities programs, even more important now with the organizations new goal of reducing deaths from breast cancer by 50 percent in the next ten years.
"There's certain groups who are more likely to experience a negative outcomes from breast cancer. So for example, breast cancer is more commonly diagnosed in women who are white, however African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer, so that's a disparity there," Dr. Ntiri said.
The program reaches out to women who are either underinsured, or uninsured and pull them in for screening. They also reach out to women and men who may have symptoms, to get them engaged, get them a screening and the information they need.
Their outreach team includes a bilingual speaker to reach out to the Hispanic population. According to the CDC, breast cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women.
Another concern the program juggles is how more young women are developing breast cancer.
"I think it's scary...It's being aware of the signs, being aware of your body. If you notice something that feels funny, looks different, check in again with a doctor," Dr. Ntiri said,
Maryland is the 6th highest in terms of breast cancer mortality in the country, making Komen's goal a steep battle for the program to take on.
Doctor Ntiri said they've been around since 2001, have a talented group who work outreach and are calling people to action.
"I think everyone can think of one action, particularly during the month of October, but throughout the year, that they can take to improve outcomes in breast cancer. We can all do it, whether it's scheduling a mammography, empowering a woman in your life to get a screening, if they haven't done that, or to get involved in one of the organizations that is doing work around breast cancer," Dr. Ntiri said.
