San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Teams with Tigerlily Foundation for #InclusionPledge to Ensure Equity for Black Women

Washington, DC, July 21, 2020 --(PR.com)-- In the midst of a global pandemic, as the entire country grapples with recent world events that highlight systemic racism, national breast cancer patient organizations join in unity, committing to work together on an unprecedented health equity initiative focusing on diversity and inclusion to eliminate disparities for black women. As a result, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) and Tigerlily Foundation have partnered for the #InclusionPledge to ignite change to end health disparities for people of color.

As an organization dedicated to ending disparities in our lifetime, Tigerlily Foundation recognizes that in order to end health disparities, we must see change in those people and systems that show inherent disregard for life, which cannot go unaddressed. Change must occur by holding those accountable - who either by action or inaction - contribute to the loss of life for people of color.

Founded, owned and operated by The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), SABCS is the leading scientific conference for oncology researchers, basic scientists, clinicians and advocates. The mission of SABCS® is to provide an exchange of new information in experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of pre-malignant breast cancer and breast disease. SABCS executive directors have taken the pledge to commit to improving diversity and inclusion conversations and programming about disparities at the symposium, which is known for its large global attendance and networking.

Black women are often diagnosed at later stages when treatments are limited, costly and the prognosis is poor. Black women also are often diagnosed at younger ages, have more aggressive breast cancer and have 40% higher mortality rate. In addition, Black women have 39% recurrence rate of breast cancer.

“Race, literacy, financial barriers, access, social, systemic and hereditary backgrounds should not be determinants of life and health equity. To accelerate and make an impact to disparities and Black women, the #inclusionpledge is imperative,” said Tigerlily Foundation President Maimah Karmo. “Tigerlily Foundation was founded to address inequity – of age, of stage and of color. We have invested significantly in addressing disparities affecting Black women, to ensure that women of color are equal partners at every table. We band together with our colleagues and friends to launch the #inclusionpledge to advocate the inclusion of women of color across initiatives impacting their breast and overall health.”

The #inclusionpledge provides a transparent and tangible framework across stakeholders to identify and track equity actions, holding all involved accountable with measurable and improved equity and outcomes for women of color. Pledge partners include After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD), AnaOno Intimates, Angel in Disguise, BreastCancer.org, Breast Cancer Alliance, Diverse Health Hub, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, GRASP, For Three Sisters, Kula for Karma, Beyond Breast Cancer, Mend Together, Metavivor, Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN), National Breast Center Foundation, Patient Power, Sharsheret, SHARE, Susan G. Komen, The Pink Fund, Triage Cancer, Twisted Pink, Unity Worldwide Ministries and 2 for 2 Boobs. Founding members of the pledge include Christine Hodgdon, Jersi Baker, Julia Maues, Sheila McGlown, Tomika Bryant, LaTonya Davis, Dana Donofree, Ricki Fairley, Valencia Robinson, Jamil Rivers and Tiah Tomlin. Industry supporters include Amgen, Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, Sanofi and Paxman.

Tigerlily Foundation’s mission is to educate, empower, support, and advocate for young women ages 15 to 45 before, during, and after breast cancer. Tigerlily’s vision is to end disparities of age, stage and color. Visit http://tigerlilyfoundation.org, follow on Twitter @TigerlilyCares, on Instagram at Tigerlily_Foundation and on Facebook at TigerlilyFoundation.