New campaign encourages south Florida women with disabilities to get breast cancer screenings

New campaign encourages women with disabilities to get breast cancer screenings. Photo courtesy of CDC)

For Diane, a mother of three who started using a wheelchair after an injury, her breast cancer diagnosis at age 40 was a “wake up call” to stay on top of her health. She is one of four breast cancer survivors who share their stories and encourage other women with physical disabilities to get breast cancer screenings in the new public health campaign, The Right to Know.

“This is your health. This is your life. Demand everything that you need, because you can’t take shortcuts with breast cancer,” Diane said.

A team from the Florida Office on Disability and Health at the University of Florida is launching the campaign this month — National Breast Cancer Awareness Month — in a 10-county region in South Florida, from Fort Myers to West Palm Beach and Miami. Designed to fill the need for breast health education materials targeting women with disabilities, The Right to Know was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The ultimate goal of the campaign is to encourage women with disabilities to get regular breast cancer screening in order to increase early cancer detection and potentially save lives,” said Eva Egensteiner, M.A., C.P.H., the campaign project manager in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions.

About 12,000 Florida women are diagnosed annually with breast cancer and nearly 2,800 women die from the disease. Increased use of early detection measures, such as mammograms, clinical breast exams and self breast exams, have been attributed to improved breast cancer survival rates. Yet women with disabilities are significantly less likely to receive breast cancer screening than women without disabilities, according to a study in the Journal of Cancer Causes and Control.

“The prospect of lower or less consistent screening rates puts these women at risk for late-stage diagnosis and poor health outcomes,” said Allyson Hall, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of health services research, management and policy. “This presents a significant public health concern as the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that nearly one in five women in Florida is living with at least one disability.”

The women featured in The Right to Know campaign describe their personal experiences with breast cancer and encourage other women with disabilities to get regular screenings. Helen, a two-time breast cancer survivor, has severe arthritis and uses a cane.

“We have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others,” Helen said.

June was born with cerebral palsy, which makes remaining still for mammograms difficult. In the beginning it was hard to communicate her needs to health-care providers.

“So I finally found a provider who would listen to me,” June said. “Once I found him I stayed with him for many years.”

The Right to Know campaign materials, available in English and Spanish, include posters, fliers, print and online advertisements and audio files that encourage breast cancer screening and provide information on how women with physical disabilities can prepare for a mammogram. The UF team also offers breast health materials for women with all types of disabilities, information on the accessibility of local mammography facilities, and tips for health professionals on how to improve mammography services for women with disabilities.

The Right to Know campaign office has partnered with several organizations to help reach women and health-care providers, such as the Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living, the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The campaign will run in Florida through 2012. For more information, to become a campaign partner, or to request the free materials, please visit the campaign website at rtk.phhp.ufl.edu or call 352-273-5102.