Putting a Human Face on California's Breast Cancer Statistics: Department of Health Services' Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts Debuts Photodocumentary Project

A powerful photodocumentary exhibit designed to educate and inspire women throughout California was unveiled on October 6, 2005, by the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The debut of the Every Woman Counts exhibit was held at Sacramento’s Westfield Downtown Plaza, which co-hosted the event with CDHS and the California Broadcasters Association.

Photography has long been recognized as an effective tool for social change. In May 2002, CDHS’ Cancer Detection Section (CDS) embarked on a year-long photodocumentary project, funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to collect women’s images, voices, and stories across the state. The 62 subjects depicted are ethnically, linguistically, and geographically diverse women who were served by California’s free breast and cervical cancer early detection program, Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts (CDP: EWC). Approximately half of the women were cancer survivors diagnosed through CDP: EWC; the other half were women who had received yearly breast cancer screening services through the program. Over 9,000 images were captured of the women in a variety of settings important to them: at church, while fishing, at parks, with grandchildren, by schools, and at work.

Each photograph and story captures the day-to-day challenges and triumphs faced by underinsured women throughout California. These are the faces and stories that are part of California’s breast cancer statistics. They are intended to humanize and represent the impact of cancer early detection efforts on individual women and their families in California. The Every Woman Counts photo exhibit is a unique health marketing tool designed to educate and inspire underserved women to seek life-saving screening services. It draws attention to the barriers faced by the uninsured in a compelling and highly personal manner, in order to emphasize the importance of these services to policymakers.

The women of the Every Woman Counts photodocumentary come from different cultures and speak many languages, yet their message is the same. They stress the importance of yearly screening services, in order to take good care of themselves and their families, and to detect cancer early so that it can be cured. In sharing their stories, they hope that other women recognize a bit of themselves in these snapshots, stand strong, and take action.

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer among women, accounting for nearly one out of three cancers diagnosed. Every 24 minutes, a woman in California is diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year, more than 4,000 women in our state will die from the disease. Early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer. When found early, the survival rate is 95 percent.

Unfortunately uninsured women are the least likely to receive breast and cervical cancer early detection services, and consequently are most at risk of developing late-stage cancer. According to California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey data, 33.5 percent of uninsured California women 40 and older have never had a mammogram. Low-income, uninsured, and minority women have the lowest rates of annual screening and suffer from higher mortality rates. CDP: EWC is focused on eliminating these disparities.

Since 1991, CDP: EWC has provided free breast and cervical cancer services to more than one million low-income and uninsured/underinsured women. Through calls to the program’s toll-free number, a qualified woman is referred to a healthcare provider in her neighborhood. The toll-free line, 800-511-2300, is the only one in the nation that assists callers in six different languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The program’s Web site can be accessed at http://www.dhs.ca.gov/cancerdetection/.

Given CDP: EWC’s mission to serve all California women, projects like this demonstrate the need to continually reach out to individual women. These women are important in the lives of their families, they have unrealized dreams for their future, and they have a unique story to tell. They are an inspiration to us all to continue the fight to reduce the burden of cancer in California’s underserved communities. Starting in December, the exhibit will be displayed at various sites in California. To learn more about the photodocumentary and view videos featuring women from Cancer Detection Programs: Every Woman Counts, please visit: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/cancerdetection/photodoc/.

 

When the legislation establishing the CBCRP was enacted, a sister program was also born—the Cancer Detection Program: Every Woman Counts (CDP:EWC). The CDP:EWC is funded in part by half of the cigarette tax that funds the CBCRP and is run by the Cancer Detection Section in the California Department of Health Services. The mission of the CDP:EWC is to “save lives by preventing and reducing the devastating effects of cancer for all Californians through early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, with special emphasis on the underserved.” They offer breast cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment services through a consortium of providers in all 58 counties in California. They also collaborate with the CBCRP to develop research agendas that increase outreach and delivery of care, particularly to underserved communities.