Breast Cancer leading cause of death for Latinas

YWCA South Florida offers free breast cancer screenings for Hispanic women in South Florida. Get tested and prevent breast cancer.

According to a study by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, 16,918 South Florida Hispanic residents died of cancer from 2012 to 2016. This study also found that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Hispanic women. Around 24,000 women were diagnosed in 2018 and breast cancer remains the leading cause of death for Latinas.

Finding breast cancer early and getting quality cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent breast cancer deaths. Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. Even though early detection through screening tests is a very well-known practice in other communities, Hispanic women tend to be diagnosed at a later stage.

There are many reasons for this later-stage diagnosis including lack of awareness of breast cancer risks and screening methods, fear of diagnosis, bad experiences with the health care system, culture and language barriers, and most importantly, lack of insurance and access to regular health care.

To help solve this alarming issue and to provide greater strides against the disease among Hispanic women, YWCA South Florida—a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women—offers free cancer screenings for the local Hispanic community in South Florida.

“Breast screenings are a key component of our Family Wellness Program. We have had the honor of providing life-saving breast screenings for over 20 years,” said Natalie Robinson Bruner, Division Director of Community Programs at YWCA South Florida. YWCA works directly with community partners to help provide life-saving breast cancer screenings for women and even men.

Breast cancer screenings can be costly for women in South Florida, of which 161,000 women ages 25-54 live below the poverty line. Not to mention that the Covid-19 pandemic has financially impacted women and their families drastically, resulting in job losses, income reduction and restriction to access health insurance.
Through their Families Wellness Programs, YWCA South Florida provides a comprehensive patient outreach system, prevention, intervention, referrals, and follow-up services for women. “We serve Miami’s diverse population, including Hispanics, in their native language. We make sure the uninsured, underserved, linguistically isolated and vulnerable individuals of South Florida receive access to care,” mentioned Natalie Robinson Bruner.

The free life-saving breast cancer screenings YWCA offers to women ages 20 to 49 include mammograms, diagnostic exams, ultrasound, cervical cancer screening, pap smear tests and clinical breast exams.

If you want to take part and get tested or contribute with your donation, go to www.ywcasouthflorida.org

Haz clic para leer en Español: Cáncer de mama, principal causa de muerte entre las latinas