To help raise awareness, Orji partnered with the pharmaceutical company Merck to host a three-episode web docuseries called Uncovering TNBC, which shares the stories of three Black women and their experience with TNBC.
What is triple-negative breast cancer?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), triple-negative breast cancer is a kind of breast cancer that does not have any of the receptors that are commonly found in breast cancer. Those receptors include one for the female hormone estrogen, one for the female hormone progesterone, and one is the protein called human epidermal growth factor. TNBC accounts for about 10-15% of all breast cancers and is an aggressive cancer that is difficult to treat. Black women have a disproportionately higher chance of developing TNBC compared to women of other races. To treat triple-negative breast cancer, the CDC saysoften patients first need to have the lump removed or the entire breast removed. After that, patients will undergo chemotherapy treatments to target any cancer cells that can’t be seen such as cells remaining in the breast or that may have spread into other parts of the body. Sometimes doctors will recommend chemotherapy before surgery to shrink the cancer. Parade.com spoke with Orji about advocating to raise awareness about triple-negative breast cancer. Here’s what she had to say.
With a master’s degree in public health and a background of working with a healthcare organization before pivoting to acting, how did this open your eyes to the challenges women face with their health?
One thing I told my mom, even when I left public health to go into entertainment, was “the degree doesn’t expire, Mama.” It’s always valid, there’s no expiration date so nothing is ever wasted. That’s why it excites me to partner with organizations like Merck for things that I’m really passionate about because it makes sense—it’s not just another celebrity talking about this out of their mouth. I used to do this and advocate for people in third world countries for different health initiatives, so this is full circle.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and you have partnered with Merck and advocacy groups to bring awareness to triple-negative breast cancer. You’re also moderating the stories of three women in a docuseries calledUncovering TNBC. How did you get involved and what will we learn from their stories?
Triple-negative breast cancer is something that I had never heard about. I didn’t even know there was a different strain of breast cancer. I liken it to how we are already dealing with regular COVID-19, and now there’s a variant. In this case, we’re already dealing with regular breast cancer, and now we have a variant of breast cancer. TNBC is so aggressive, and it affects Black women at a higher rate. So what do we need to do? If the most that we can do right now is just get the word out that this thing even exists, that’s the first step. We’re doing that with the website Uncovering TNBC, as well as the docuseries we made with three amazing women, Tiah, Damesha, and Sharon talking about their experiences and challenges with the disparities in healthcare. They have felt like they haven’t been heard, supported, and didn’t know about opportunities that could help them seek out the kind of treatment they needed. If nothing else, we can let Black women know that they are not alone. One of the things that I really am appreciative of is the fact that there is this kind of a cheat sheet questionnaire that you can print out and take to your doctor and be like, “Hey doc, I got some questions, just give me a couple of minutes of your time.” It’s empowering. As Back women, a lot of times we look to the professionals and if we’re brushed off, it’s like, oh my God, he or she didn’t even want to listen to my questions. You just go home and feel defeated and powerless. We’re not here for that. This is our body. This is our time. We have every right to ask the right questions and get answers.
What are some of the biggest disparities that Black women face in health care?
Access is the biggest issue. It’s so easy to say, “go find another doctor,” but that costs time, gas, and you may have to take off work. Is your life worth whatever the cost is? A lot of times we’re bartering, thinking to ourselves, “OK, well if I have to drive all the way up there it isn’t that bad, I can just deal with it.” No, it is that bad. You have to get it checked out. If you get all the way there and it’s nothing, look at God—He blessed you, as opposed to you delaying the appointment for six months. You don’t want to hear, ‘Well, ma’am, had you come here four months ago, we would have been able to treat it." At the end of the day, it’s that 30 minutes out of your way that could have prevented it, so please don’t delay.
What can Black women and all women do to advocate for themselves and learn more about TNBC?
The websitefor Uncovering TNBC is a launching pad and it may not be your one-stop-shop, but it is a great resource. When you are armed with information, then you can do more of your own research as needed. You can get the information from the website, you have the stories from these women and then go to your doctor and ask if you are at risk. You can ask for extra tests and even if you’re not in the age range to get certain tests, ask anyway. I tell people to get to know their body when it’s at a calm state so that if there’s ever anything different, you will know.
How can people support those dealing with breast cancer?
There are so many organizations out there. Some of the partners with this project are Susan G. Komen, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Tigerlily Foundation, and Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, so there are many organizations and so many groups who will tell you practical things that you can do to support. Google is your best friend. Find support groups. The stories of these women in Uncovering TNBC actually started support groups because they felt alone, they felt like people weren’t listening to them or helping them find resources. They created organizations, they created groups where you could come in and share information. You can be more aware by understanding what they may be going through. And you know what? They actually don’t need more casseroles. They just want to know that you’re there to support them. If you’re able to donate to research that’s great, there are so many things that you can do, and just keep praying and loving them, because that’s sometimes enough. Don’t discount your presence and the safe space you provide for people. Next up:5 Myths About Breast Cancer Symptoms
Sources
CDC.gov: “Triple-Negative Breast Cancer”The National Center for Biotechnology Information: “Racial Disparity and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in African-American Women”
