The American Cancer Society launched “Voices Of Black Women.” The program is designed to research the deadly disease, its causes, factors and its disproportionate effects on Black women.
According to the American Cancer Society, the study is online and will not require in-person visits with a clinician. The goal is to get data from one-hundred thousand Black women via survey. The survey will include questions about past history, medical and personal. It will also delve into personal health habits.
“The initial survey takes about one hour, with shorter follow-ups twice a year. These surveys contribute to our study of uncovering day-to-day experiences affecting cancer risk.”
Black women have a “lower cancer incidence rate for Black women compared to White women.” Yet, Black women mortality rate is 12% higher than that of white women.
As such it is vital to gain all data points possible to help women, specifically, Black women avoid and overcome cancer. The study is hoping to enroll 100,000 women, which would make it the organization’s largest study, focused on Black women and cancer, to date.
Some Black women may be skeptical to volunteer for medical research. The medical field has an unethical and brutal history when it comes to Black women and bodily autonomy. The team of researchers for the “Voices of Black Women” acknowledges and addresses these concerns:
The VOICES team recognizes that there is a history of Black women’s bodies being exploited to advance medical knowledge, yet Black women have received the fewest benefits compared to their male and White counterparts. Given this legacy of injustice, you may hesitate to become involved in this study. It is important that we hear and address your concerns about research, treat you with respect, and demonstrate cultural humility. In fact, the goals of VOICES of Black Women reflect this. Through a commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (or DEI), the American Cancer Society aims to form fruitful partnerships with and amplify the voices of Black communities across the country.
While the acknowledgement gives hope that Black women will not be exploited the fact remains, that has not always been the case. In June 2024, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on the family of Henrietta Lacks’ family fight for justice. The decendants of Lacks are suing pharmaceutical company Ultragenyx for the use of Lacks’s “HeLa” cells to research and develop modern medicine. Lacks was subject to harsh and inhumane probing on her body. The theft of her biological property proved both useful and profitable for the medical community over the course of decades.
The Lacks family scored a victory, earlier this year, when a federal judge denied Ultragenyx’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit.
The “Voice of Black Women” Study is designed to be minimally invasive and hopefully the information gathered will help future generations. If you are interested in joining the study you can visit the Voices of Black Women’s official site.
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