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A new campaign has been launched to tackle the misconception that breast cancer is an “older white woman’s disease”.
One in seven women will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, according to the charity, CoppaFeel!.
It’s a sobering statistic, but for non-white women, there are often additional barriers when it comes to accessing care.
“Too many young people think breast cancer only happens to older white women,” says Sophie Conway, head of community and engagement at the charity.
“Our research shows that young people, especially those from marginalised communities, don’t feel that breast cancer is relevant to them due to myths, stigma and taboos.”
Similarly, research by Cancer Research UK in 2023 found that Black African, Black Caribbean and South Asian women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer.
It also found that women from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to report they didn’t know any warning signs and symptoms of cancer compared to white women (23% vs 12%).
So CoppaFeel! and NHS North East London Cancer Alliance (NELCA) have launched ‘Check In’, a campaign to tackle misconceptions and address the nuances and barriers faced by some people of colour, like cultural taboo and healthcare inequalities.
Here’s what three women of colour – who have been through breast cancer – want us all to understand.
Representation is important
Anisa Ali, from London, found approximately a seven centimetre lump in her breast at the age of 22 while in the shower, which she says was “too big to ignore”.
With Somali heritage, Ali, now 25, says she heard some unhelpful comments when she spoke about her diagnosis.
“In my community there can be taboos, superstitious comments or misinformation, but my parents were supportive and I didn’t let it affect my choices,” she says.
While going through her own journey with breast cancer, Ali says she found it hard to look for support in people that looked like her – as a Black and Muslim woman – highlighting the importance of representation.
In resources such as pamphlets, the images of women’s bodies that were included didn’t resemble hers, and when getting fitted for a prosthetic, there was none available that matched her skin tone.
“Breast cancer is a huge conversation. We should all feel like we are being spoken for inclusively,” she says.
Ali advises that although in certain communities, therapy and seeking out additional help can be brushed off, support to help navigate emotions is worth it.
Take the fear factor away
Founder and director of an events agency, Rebecca Hartley was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in her mid-30s, and says she didn’t think it was something that could happen to someone her age.
With preconceived ideas that breast cancer meant ‘death and losing hair’ Hartley, now 47 and in remission, says it’s important to take away the fear factor and look at the statistics of breast cancer.
“When you hear the word cancer, you go to the worst-case scenario,” says the mum-of-one.
“But the reality of it is that survival rates of breast cancer are really high. If you’re going to get cancer, it’s probably one of the most treatable cancers you can get. So I think taking the fear factor away from women is important.”
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, Hartley, an ambassador for Prevent Breast Cancer also says to not panic and try to keep a positive mindset.
“I never for one second allowed myself to think that I wasn’t going to survive it.”
Trust your instinct and signs
In August 2023, Rosie Coke was watching television when a programme about breast cancer came on – featuring Hartley.
“About two weeks before I saw the story, I felt a pain in my breast that wasn’t normal. However, because I’m a really busy person – a manager at work, and having three kids – I just didn’t want to worry about it,” the 45-year-old says.
“When I saw Rebecca’s story, I was actually going to a funeral so I shouldn’t have been at home. It’s quite by chance I encountered seeing her on the news.
After seeing that Hartley, also a woman of colour, a similar age and a young mum too, Coke went to an urgent care centre the next day.
After receiving her diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer, the mum-of-three from Hemel Hempstead went through treatment. “When we were all sharing our experiences, we were all of different colours, different faces and all having an experience that transcends racial barriers,” says Coke, who is now in remission.
