Cloudy early with scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High near 80F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Tonight
Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 53F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
(BPT) - If you walk by Amanda's house, you might spot pink ribbons in her front yard. She was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at the age of 33.
"I was young, and a mom. Receiving a diagnosis like that was shocking. I put this ribbon out because I want people to know a woman with cancer lives here — to go get screened. I don't want anybody to ever endure what I did."
A later-stage cancer diagnosis is an unfortunate reality for many people residing in rural America, more so than for those living in urban areas.i Once someone is diagnosed, travel time can also be a barrier to receiving recommended care; 20% of rural Americans live more than 60 miles from an oncologist.i,ii
"I chose to travel over three hours away to a clinic that specialized in breast cancer," Amanda said. "If there was a certain kind of care I needed, I was going to find a way to get there."
Coming together as a community
It wasn't until Amanda started asking her family questions that she learned two of her aunts had been diagnosed with breast cancer in their 50s. They, too, are from rural Texas.
"I was shocked they had never really spoken about it before my diagnosis," she said. "Now they come to the cancer walks, wear the T-shirts, and clap behind me. I think it's helped them embrace their own experience … knowing we're not alone."
Each October, Amanda's neighbors change all their porch lights to pink, showing their support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
"It's what I love about my town," she said. "Everybody looks out for each other. You don't get that everywhere, and it's part of what keeps me here."
Resources to address disparities in cancer care
One mantra Amanda lives by is to be the best advocate you can be for yourself.
"When you get diagnosed with cancer, everything can feel like it's happening so fast," she said. "Sometimes you may not understand what your doctors are telling you. Beyond the support of my community, seeking out opportunities to speak with other women with breast cancer and reading some of the educational resources out there really made a difference."
Amanda's story is one of many being shared in a new video series for "Change the Odds: Uniting to Improve Cancer Outcomesâ„¢," an American Cancer Society (ACS) initiative sponsored by Pfizer to address cancer care disparities and help improve health outcomes in underserved communities across the United States. In the Front Porch Conversations video series, award-winning actor and cancer community advocate Patrick Dempsey meets with Amanda and others impacted by cancer from rural areas across the country to have conversations on their experiences and the challenges their community faces when it comes to care.
"The barriers to cancer screening and care can't be overcome without talking about them. The more we talk, the more we can change the odds." – Patrick Dempsey (Front Porch Conversations video series)
Visit cancer.org/ChangeTheOdds to watch the videos and find resources from the American Cancer Society, including your nearest no- or low-cost screening centers.
[i] K. Robin Yabroff et al. Rural Cancer Disparities in the United States: A Multilevel Framework to Improve Access to Care and Patient Outcomes. JCO Oncol Pract 16, 409-413(2020).
[ii] Levit LA, Byatt L, Lyss AP, et al. Closing the Rural Cancer Care Gap: Three Institutional Approaches. JCO Oncol Pract. 2020;16(7):422-430. doi:10.1200/OP.20.00174.
