Overcoming Disparities
Community leaders and survivors confronted the high cancer mortality rates facing African Americans. Hosted by Tracey Williams-Dillard, the discussion highlighted how fear, medical racism, and delayed testing lead to late-stage breast, colon, and prostate cancer diagnoses. Panelists urged open family conversations, regular checkups, and early screenings like PSA blood tests to save lives.
Black Americans have the highest cancer death rate of any racial group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Sister Spokesman gathering brought the community together Oct. 3 at LifeSource, 2225 W. River Road in Minneapolis, to discuss some of the most prevalent cancers affecting the African American community: breast, colon and prostate. Panelists shared their experiences, stressed the importance of knowing your family’s cancer history and diet, and offered resources for people without insurance.
Tracey Williams-Dillard, publisher and CEO of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and the event’s host, said cancer is an important topic but one people don’t like to discuss.
“I think sometimes we’re afraid, and I think we’re afraid of what we might find out,” she said. “But we can’t let fear stop us from gaining knowledge.”
Dr. Ora Hokes of the Breast Cancer Education Association goes into communities to help Black women get mammograms and learn about breast cancer. She told the room about the traumatic impact slavery had on African Americans’ health, including the diet that came out of slavery.
“That’s our primary target population because of the prevalence of breast cancer among African American women,” she said. “It hits us the highest, and it’s because of later detection and … sometimes they don’t believe us. And when it’s really diagnosed, we’re about in late stage 4.”
Jessica Kingston, a two-time breast cancer survivor, also spoke about how medical racism has led to late diagnoses in the Black community. She encouraged people to remember they can request a different doctor after a bad experience, but not to stop seeking care.
When Kingston was 35, she suspected something was wrong and went in for a mammogram. She was told she was too young to have breast cancer, so she put off testing until the recommended age of 40. That’s when cancer was found.
After a lumpectomy to remove the tumor and 33 painful radiation treatments, Kingston lived cancer-free for the next 10 years. Her yearly mammograms found the cancer had returned in 2024. She has since had a double mastectomy, a surgery to remove both breasts, and four surgeries in 11 months.
Kingston said cancer runs heavily through her biological family, including breast, colon, kidney, prostate and brain cancers. She stressed that knowing your family medical history is vital so you can take preventive measures and schedule routine screenings.
“I’m going to keep moving forward, and we’ll keep checking to make sure the cancer doesn’t spread or return,” Kingston said.
Curtis Bell, a prostate cancer survivor, also emphasized getting tested, and doing it earlier than recommended. He said talking about your experience is vital.
“It’s one of those things that when you have men in your life and they don’t like to talk about things medically,” he said. “I’m one of those that say, ‘No, you have to talk about it.’ Why? Because your survival depends on it.”
Hokes agreed, saying that when she was growing up, people didn’t talk about cancer. They called it “the Big C.” Family members won’t know whether they are at risk, or how to act, if information isn’t shared.
Panelists said signs that may signal prostate cancer include frequent trips to the bathroom, pain when urinating and trouble emptying the bladder.
“Men have hard times realizing these signs, and they need help from their female companions to say, ‘I know that you’ve been spending more time in the restroom and it’s hard to go. This is a time for us to go talk to the doctor about this,'” Bell said.
For men hesitant about a physical exam, Bell recommended asking a doctor for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test instead. Panelists also noted that advances in technology are making mammograms less uncomfortable, and urged community members not to let fear or discomfort keep them from lifesaving screenings.
After the panel and an audience Q&A, attendees wearing pink and blue ribbons joined Tina Jackson, an instructor with Gotta Dance Soul Line Dance, for a line dance and a moment of fellowship. The first 15 guests took home flower wreaths, and every participant left with health resources, wellness tips and the uplifting feeling that comes from confronting a tough topic together as a community.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@spokesman-recorder.com.