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The rate of breast cancer among Black and white women is roughly equal. However, Black women are significantly more likely to die from it, due in part to lower rates of mammographic screening that result in more advanced stages of cancer at diagnosis, leading to higher mortality.

In Seattle, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s grant-backed Breast Health Equity Program set out in 2020 to improve rates of up-to-date mammography screening for Black women, while also increasing screening overall for women who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) post-COVID-19 pandemic.

The centerpiece of the effort was outreach. Working with more than a half-dozen community partners, the Breast Health Equity Program staffed tables at local health fairs and community events in the greater Puget Sound area, providing resources and information to community members about the importance of mammography screening and how to access it.

It has also provided onsite screening services at area locations via a , offered at no cost to uninsured or underinsured patients. Over the past couple of years, the Breast Health Equity Program has also expanded its presence to include locations such as Safeway, Costco and Grocery Outlet, reaching community residents where they shop, dine and do business.

In addition, the program’s educational materials are translated into languages including Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, Swahili, Arabic, Amharic and Tigrinya.

The work of the Breast Health Equity Program is ongoing and program coordinators say it has clearly improved accessibility of care as well as patient education, which they expect will decrease risk of breast cancer death for a substantial number of women.

This organization participated in the 2024 AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award application process.