Breast cancer is a social justice issue
March 31, 2021
Breast cancer is a social justice issue. It’s important for us to know and remember this, especially during this time of year and with the approaching month of October being historically triggering and hard for many in the breast cancer community. Rethink continues to be committed to help transform our existing systems that were not made to and do not represent us all equally.
The issues of our time intersect. Breast cancer and prevention is connected to social justice, health equity, economic equity, and environmental justice. One cannot be addressed without the other. This means we cannot do our best work in rethinking breast cancer without addressing intersectionality.
We are continuing to prioritize working from an intersectional lens with social justice and health equity being top of mind to help ensure all voices are represented in our work. This includes our work with Rethink’s EDI Working Group, feedback from the community and collaboration with like-minded community partners. You will continue to see this amplified in the work we share here moving forward, October and beyond.
We can address breast cancer diagnosis, recurrence and metastatic breast cancer rates while also building an equitable healthcare system.
We can discuss breast cancer prevention while also educating individuals about our environment and the ways they are related.
We can talk about treatment while also addressing issues of access.
These are some of the many areas we will continue to explore.
Rethink shared original version of this message in March 2021, and have adapted it here and now because of the revelations, the ongoing learning and listening and integrating, knowing the roots of the message remain the same. We are growing, bending and flowing.
We want to be transparent and keep you informed of our evolving approach and commitment to health equity and social justice because YOU are a part of this. We hope you’ll continue to rethink breast cancer with us.
We acknowledge this can be uncomfortable. Our hope is that in embracing and sitting with discomfort, we can welcome real change. Many in the community are going through a lot with the impacts of breast cancer, but we can still acknowledge our privileges, reflect on how we contribute to oppressive systems and learn how to be actively anti-oppressive and anti-racist in our daily lives. Doing this work together will ultimately help those with breast cancer live better and longer.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for continuing to support us and hold us accountable. Thank you for facing these realities and embracing this approach with us. We’re grateful for you. — The Rethink Team