Quebec campaign shines light on breast cancer disparities for Black women
One in eight Quebec women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and it's the most common cancer in females, but there's a specific type that disproportionately affects women of African descent.
It's called triple-negative breast cancer — it's a rarer, more aggressive form of cancer with fewer treatment options. It's also less responsive to hormone therapy and targeted therapies.
A new awareness campaign in Quebec aims to highlight that health outcomes can differ for women of colour. They face higher mortality rates because of a wide range of factors, including disparities in screening, diagnosis, access to care, and a lack of data on the specific cases of Black and racialized women.
CTV News spoke to Dorothy Rhau, the president of Audace au Feminin, who is also one of the honourary presidents of the awareness campaign. She says she wants to break the silence on this issue, which hits close to home.
"Unfortunately my mom had breast cancer twice, and I wasn't aware of that until after the second time," said Rhau, adding that she believes there is a lack of education in the Black community about the importance of communicating on health matters.
"I don't think that they know that if they don't share the information, it's impacting other women in the family. It could be your children, your siblings, your aunts, your grandmother — all the women in the family. So it's really important to talk about that because you need to save the lives of the women that you love," she said.
The "Tétons Ben Drôles" campaign aims to promote access to preventive care for all women and encourage mammograms starting at 40 years old because early detection is critical.
Rhau said the name of the campaign was chosen to inject humour into a serious subject and give it a local cultural spin by using a French term for breasts and a Québécois play on words.
While the campaign is Quebec-based, fundraising efforts go beyond the province's borders. Organizers are collaborating with Dr. Juliet Daniel, a professor in the Department of Biology and Associate Dean Research and External Relations in the Faculty of Science at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
"She's doing fundamental research on triple-negative breast cancer," said Rhau. "We wanted to make sure that we're starting to get funds, but also data on Black women and racialized women who have breast cancer."
The campaign launches with a fundraising art exhibition on Thursday called "Man of colors for his sisters," featuring works by artist St. Ghor.
The event starts at Mael Galerie on St. Paul Street West in Old Montreal at 5:00 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PWHL Minnesota defeats Boston to win inaugural Walter Cup
Minnesota won the inaugural championship of the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Wednesday night, getting 17 saves from Nicole Hensley to beat Boston 3-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5 and claim the Walter Cup.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
Oilers rally to beat Stars, tie Western Conference Final
With the Edmonton Oilers down two goals late in the first period of Game 4, Rogers Place was quiet, fans seemingly bewildered at the early, quick scoring of the Dallas Stars and the slow start by the home team. Ryan McLeod's marker with six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame left changed all that.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school
Police are investigating another building in Montreal's community was struck by gunfire.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.