Susan G. Komen For The Cure, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Local Hospitals Call on Policymakers to Address Injustice and Unfairness in Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality.

Komen Detroit Race for the Cure Joins Nationwide Campaign to Close the Gaps that Make Breast Cancer Deadlier for Low-Income Women and Women of Color

DETROIT, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Komen Detroit Race for the Cure, physicians and executives from five of metro Detroit's top hospitals and other community leaders gathered with hundreds of breast cancer survivors and advocates this evening at a "Close the Gap" Community Forum at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit. Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel, President & CEO, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute; Michael E. Duggan, President & CEO, Detroit Medical Center; Dr. Joseph Anderson, Josephine Ford Cancer Center Specialist, Henry Ford Health System; Elliot Joseph, President & CEO, St. John Health; and Dr. Sophia Roumanis, Medical Director for Breast Care Services, The Center for Women's Health at Oakwood Healthcare System came together to discuss strategies for addressing high mortality rates in Wayne County and called on leaders at every level of government to address disparities in breast cancer survival rates and tremendous barriers that prevent low-income women from receiving care.

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"Michigan has been hard hit by breast cancer and low-income women and women of color have been hit the hardest," said Maureen Keenan Meldrum, chair, Komen Detroit Race for the Cure, and director, Breast Cancer Special Programs, for Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Local Presenting Sponsor for the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure. "We need to close the gaps in research, policy and access to quality care that make breast cancer deadlier for some women."

In the United States, a woman has about a 13 percent risk -- or a one in eight chance -- of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. Low-income women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer and are three times more likely to die from the disease. African- American women in Michigan are dying of breast cancer at a higher rate (34 per 100,000) than White women (23 per 100,000). A study commissioned by Komen for the Cure highlighted Wayne County among eight communities in the U. S. with an alarmingly high breast cancer mortality rate (29.7 vs. 26.0 for U.S.).

"The most significant risk factors for getting breast cancer are being female and getting older. We need more breast care navigators who can help women make sense of the health care system. We need more funding for cancer research. Most of all, we need to move beyond talk and into action," said Kimberly Simpson, chief operating officer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The forum was moderated by Rene Syler, author and former CBS Early Show anchor whose family history of breast cancer and diagnosis of a pre-cancerous condition motivated her undergo a prophylactic mastectomy earlier this year. Syler moderated a panel of leading physicians and executives from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, The Detroit Medical Center, Oakwood Hospital, St. John Heath System and Henry Ford Hospital who talked about what their institutions are doing -- and what more must be done -- to address Wayne County's high breast cancer mortality rate and the disparities that cause some women to die of breast cancer more than others.