Not Alone in this Journey

Amid the Quests to Spread Breast Cancer Awareness, Partnerships and Stories Abound

by Aneres Cali Bell,
Junior Ambassador,
American Cancer Society
On Friday, September 8th, the American Cancer Society (ACS) made another stride in the right direction in the fight against breast cancer.
Partnering up with the Brooklyn Cyclones, they held “Pink and Blue Night” at the Ballpark on the Boardwalk in Coney Island. The Cyclones and their mascot swapped out their standard red-and-white colored uniforms for bold blue and pink, with blue representing prostate cancer awareness and pink representing breast cancer awareness.

The Cyclones weren’t the only ones sporting pink, however. Many who attended the event wore pink to represent that they were supporters of the fight against breast cancer and were blessed with a spectacular rendition of “Star Spangled Banner” by Donnie McClurkin. I contributed to the proceedings by giving those entering an upbeat greeting, waving pink pom-poms, and letting people know that the American Cancer Society wanted to thank them for coming out to enjoy the game while supporting such a worthy cause. We also thanked the Brooklyn Cyclones for their support and willingness to collaborate with the American Cancer Society to help spread awareness of this deadly disease.

I believe it is important for all women, regardless of their age, race, or gender orientation, to be scanned for breast cancer because the sooner it can be detected, the sooner it can be treated. One target demographic for breast cancer awareness is young women. According to The Sage Journals, a collection of peer-reviewed medical research documentation, “Younger women are more likely than older women to present with aggressive subtypes of breast cancer if they develop the disease, and at a more advanced stage translating into poorer survival.”

The most important tool in the fight against breast cancer is the mammogram. Too many women are unaware of the cancer growing within, especially women of color because they have not been properly screened for breast cancer with the tools available. In addition, once diagnosed with cancer, women of color need to receive excellent treatment to fight the disease, a situation that doesn’t always occur because of the racial disparities in our healthcare system. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has dedicated itself to breast cancer research, and according to one of their studies they have reported back that “While breast cancer incidence rates among Black and white women are close, mortality rates are markedly different, with Black women having a 40 percent higher death rate from breast cancer.”

One example of this is a brave cancer warrior who shared her story at the ACS: Making Strides of Brooklyn Botanical Garden event. Sharon Spencer had a friend who was battling breast cancer. She stood alongside her friend to ensure she wasn’t alone during her fight. Sharon was with her through the numerous treatments that she had to endure, as well as her chemotherapy treatment. However, after fighting alongside her for four tedious years, her friend tragically passed away, ending her battle with breast cancer and her life. But the story doesn’t end there.

Sharon wanted to continue to fight against the disease that had taken her friend’s life, so she advocated for breast cancer awareness, dutifully spreading the message.
However, in March 2012, Sharon was faced with the harrowing news that she had stage three breast cancer. She couldn’t believe it; she thought she had her life all planned out. She would get married and have two more kids after her first daughter. However, she was told that the type of cancer she had fed off of estrogen meant that if she had another child, she would be putting her life at risk. With her life on the line, Sharon, with the help of medical professionals at Memorial Sloan, began her road to recovery.

This journey was not without its hardships; Sharon had two chemotherapy treatments, five days of radiation for five weeks, a vasectomy, and 11 surgeries, which unfortunately gave her an infection, resulting in her having to rely upon skin grafting as a last resort of treatment. As aforementioned, this was not easy for Sharon, but she knew that she was not alone in this journey, having her daughter’s unwavering support all the way. After fighting for so long, through God’s grace, as of today, Sharon is now six years cancer-free.

To this day, she’s still in the fight, sharing her story with others and advocating breast cancer awareness. Although she’s cancer-free, she still has to get an injection every three months, as well as get a checkup every six months, alongside having to take daily medication. But through it all, Sharon, like so many other men and women out there, is a breast cancer conqueror with a testimony to give.

In my circle, I have two aunts who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and personally know up to 15 women who work alongside ACS to help fight against breast cancer who are struggling with this deadly disease. But they are not alone in this fight. Beating breast cancer requires community. In most parts of New York, mammograms are covered by insurance, and if that’s not applicable to you, places like the New York State Cancer Services Program can help you ensure you’re not in the dark about your status. You can contact the American Cancer Society to get help for those without insurance and to get assistance in finding a location that will allow you to do a mammogram.

The fight against breast cancer doesn’t just take doctors; it takes women of all backgrounds, whether or not they suffer from breast cancer, to join together as a sisterhood to report the severity of breast cancer and remind each other to get their mammograms.