Breast cancer awareness: Self-advocacy a critical tool for Black women

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As we observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Eyewitness News is sounding the alarm for Black women. Despite significant advances in care overall, this year's Facts and Figures from the American Cancer Society show Black women are still dealing with a breast cancer crisis due to unique challenges and circumstances.

The odds were stacked up against Courtney Clark as a young, Black woman who knew something didn't feel right. "I am a third-grade teacher. I am a mother of two, and I am married," she said while introducing herself. Clark is also a survivor. Two years ago, while breastfeeding her daughter, she felt a lump. She described her experience with a medical provider: "She like, quite frankly, laughed at me and told me that it was just a clogged milk duck, because I was breastfeeding. I had never breastfed before. It was my first kid, so I thought maybe she was right. So, I felt really silly."

One year later, while 23-weeks pregnant with her second child, she felt a lump again in the same breast. This time, Clark insisted on an appointment at The Rose Breast Center. An ultrasound confirmed it was cancer. She said, "Of course, immediately tears, because I was pregnant. I didn't know like what I was going to do or like how to feel." Her medical team, including a fetal medicine doctor, came up with a treatment plan that would save both her life and her son's. Now, Antonio is a healthy toddler, and his mom is cancer-free despite the odds.

Dr. Anish Meerasahib with the American Cancer Society said, "Black women have a 38% chance of dying from breast cancer as compared to their counterparts, and that's the most disturbing fact." The doctor also said Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with more aggressive types of breast cancer, and that's something they and their doctors need to understand. "Know the data," Meerasahib said, "There is increased risk of breast cancer and increased risk of dying from breast cancer. But, if you catch it early, the cure rate is almost exactly the same as white women, native Indians, or Hispanic women."

Early detection is key, and that's why Clark couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she had been taken seriously the first time she went to the doctor. "Maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have gone through chemotherapy while being pregnant, or having to worry about if I was going to a make it, because I was pregnant, or worrying about my son," she said.

Those fears are now driving a desire to use her voice in an effort to end the Black breast cancer crisis. She said, "I love being able to tell my story. I get emotional about it, because it was my life. But, I feel like if I can tell my story and talk about how everything went, I can maybe save someone else's life."