08/18/2026
1 in 8 women. But we are not all experiencing breast cancer in the same way.
Research has changed what it means to be diagnosed with breast cancer. It has given us earlier detection, new treatments, more targeted therapies, and more options.
But for research to answer questions about us, we have to be part of the research.
Women of color can experience breast cancer differently, from the types of breast cancer we are diagnosed with and the age at which we’re diagnosed, to treatment access, side effects, outcomes, and survivorship.
Our inclusion in research helps scientists and healthcare providers understand those differences instead of assuming what works for one population will work the same way for everyone.
And participation isn’t only about clinical trials. It can mean contributing our blood or tissue, completing surveys, joining registries, sharing health information, participating in observational studies, or simply asking our providers what research opportunities are available.
On World Breast Cancer Research Day, we’re asking our community to see research differently.
Research isn’t something that just happens to our communities or about our communities.
We deserve to help shape it.
Because when women of color are seen in the data, heard in the questions being asked, and included in the discoveries being made, we move closer to breast cancer care that truly serves all of us.
Be seen. Be counted. Be part of the research.
