North Alabama Leading the Way in Breast & Cervical Cancer Awareness By Dr. Donnie L. Cook

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System's Urban Affairs and New and Nontraditional Program unit was awarded a multi-county breast and cervical cancer grant of $61,644.00 by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The grant covers a six-month period from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2003, and will be used to reach low-income women 40-64 years of age in Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Madison, Marion and Morgan Counties.

Project Manager Piney Jordan, a retired registered nurse, will lead outreach educators and volunteers in our effort to:

• Educate audiences on breast and cervical cancer
• Increase early detection behaviors
• Recruit volunteers to promote breast self-exam
• Increase accessibility to medical services
• Assist in conducting breast cancer events

For more information on this project, please contact Dr. Donnie Cook at 256-372-4983 or via e-mail at dcook@aces.edu.

2003 Statistical Data

• Cancer affects all populations in the United States, second only to heart disease.
• 1.3 million Americans will be diagnosed with invasive cancer. Racial/ethnic minorities are expected to account for a disproportionate numbers of these cancers.
• 123,700 new cancer cases and deaths are expected to occur among African-Americans
• The most common form of cancer for females is breast cancer at 31 percent
• 5,700 deaths are expected to occur among African-American women
• Five-year survival rate for African-American women is 73 percent compared to 88 percent for whites. This difference is based on the stage at diagnosis, specific characteristics of the tumor, presence of additional illness, and other socio-demographic factors.

2000 Breast Cancer Statistics in Alabama

	African American	White/non-Hispanic
Mammogram	66.7 %	62.9 %
Clinical breast exam	69.9 %	68.8 %
Mammogram & CBE	54.8 %	56.0 %

• Cancer Prevention & Early Detection: Facts and Figures, American Cancer Society, 2002
• Cancer Facts & Figures for African Americans 2003-2004, American Cancer Society, 2003