Raising Awareness to Build Health Equity

Health equity must be pursued relentlessly in communities of color including the Black community to address long-standing disparities and ensure the well-being of every individual. Achieving health equity includes dismantling systemic barriers, such as discriminatory practices, unequal access to quality healthcare, and socioeconomic inequities that disproportionately impact Black individuals.

Here are a few holidays and awareness campaigns to share with your networks during the month of June:

Juneteenth
Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is an annual celebration observed on June 19th to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. Originating in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, Juneteenth marks the day when Union General Gordon Granger arrived with the news of freedom, proclaiming the end of slavery in Texas, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. It has since become a significant cultural and historical milestone, symbolizing the triumph of freedom over oppression and serving as a reminder of the ongoing pursuit of equality and justice for all.

Caribbean American Heritage Month
Celebrated annually in June, is a time dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the rich contributions and vibrant cultures of Caribbean Americans in the United States. In conjunction with this important observance, it is crucial to shed light on significant health issues that affect the Caribbean American community, such as cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the Caribbean and Caribbean American populations. During this month, we’re raising awareness about the importance of regular screenings, early detection, and prevention strategies to combat cervical cancer and promote women’s health in the Caribbean American community. We can empower individuals to take proactive steps toward a healthier future.

National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week
An important week-long observance that aims to shed light on the disproportionate impact of cancer on the Black community and raise awareness about prevention, early detection, and treatment options. By addressing disparities in healthcare access and providing support networks, this initiative plays a crucial role in fostering resilience, advocating for equitable care, and ultimately working towards eliminating cancer-related disparities among Black families.

By implementing culturally sensitive care, increasing healthcare access and affordability, and prioritizing community empowerment including sharing personal stories, we can foster a future where every person in the community enjoys equitable opportunities for their best health and is free from the burden of historical injustices.

Are you a cervical cancer patient or survivor?
Add your story to our Cervivor Stories and help spread awareness of cervical cancer! Your story has the power to create change and it matters.

Honoring Culture & Making an Impact

Alexander Hamilton.
General Colin Powell.
Shirley Chisolm.
And Kadiana Vegee.

These Caribbean-Americans are worthy of a shout out, and Cervivor wants to shout from the rooftops Kadiana’s name because she is the epitome of beauty and pride. As we celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we want to share Kadiana’s survivor story which reminds us of true beauty.

Having lost her mother to ovarian cancer, and her father to prostate cancer, Kadiana and her sisters took genetic tests to learn where their own health stood. While her sisters were in the clear, Kadiana’s tests revealed the BRCA 1 gene mutation. She quickly chose to have preventative surgeries.

“I had a double mastectomy without reconstruction, and I also had to have my ovaries and my fallopian tubes removed,” explained Kadiana. “ … The decision that I made was not just for myself and to stay alive, but it was also for my kids.”

The most frequent cancers in the Caribbean are prostate, breast, lung and bronchial, colorectal, and cervical cancers, according to BMC Cancer journal. Further, the five most frequent sites for cancer deaths include lung and bronchial cancers, prostate, colorectal, breast and stomach.

To be specific, Black-Caribbean women have a high prevalence of late-stage breast and cervical cancer diagnosis due to a low prevalence of screenings, according to dignity, shame, stigma, or ignorance in avoidance of breast and cervical cancer screenings among women of Caribbean Descent, published by the Open Journal of Social Sciences. After conducting focus groups, researchers concluded that a lack of trust in the health system, stigma, and shame contributed to avoidance of cancer screening – all similar to what we see and experience for ourselves.

While Kadiana acknowledges cancer will “always be a part of my life, from the long lasting side effects to the constant fear of reoccurrence,” her fervor to thrive, her beauty and her pride in taking back her life can be seen, felt, and heard. We are elated to know that Kadiana is a Cervivor advocate willing to share her story, boast her war scars, and champion the need for rights, resources and self advocacy.

“It felt like a blessing because I knew and I had the option,” said Kadiana about making her decision. “I stand unashamed … It’s not how I look on the outside. It’s how I look on the inside, and I really do feel beautiful.”