00:00I think there needs to be more advocacy and more storytelling and more sharing.
00:05When you share, you have that connection, you build relationships, you feel bonded with someone.
00:10Going through it twice, I had those sisters to lean on,
00:15so I'm kind of like in a sorority that I didn't know that I was going to be in.
00:19Welcome to Uncovering TNBC.
00:22This is a conversation about triple negative breast cancer and how it affects Black women.
00:27I'm Nina Parker, and I'm here because my mother is a breast cancer survivor.
00:33And I'm joined by some women who represent this mission for advocacy, information, and honestly, comfort.
00:52When I got diagnosed 17 years ago, there was no Black woman in breast cancer conversation.
00:58There was no TNBC conversation.
01:00There was no community of women that look like us.
01:03Yes.
01:03And so if we don't discuss breast cancer and breast health in TNBC, build community, share our stories, be vulnerable, discuss our family's health histories.
01:11We won't know better.
01:12We can't do better, and we'll have the worst outcomes.
01:14So this is all about creating that change.
01:15What would you tell a woman who's a patient, any young woman, or a doctor how to be better with talking to a patient or being their own best advocate?
01:24Health care providers should teach people how to do self-exams.
01:29If a young girl walks into your office, you're a health care provider, and she has breasts, she should know how to do a self-breast exam.
01:36She should know what to feel for, what changes look like in your breast when you have breast cancer.
01:43She should know the difference between triple negative breast cancer versus other breast cancers.
01:48I had never heard of triple negative breast cancer.
01:51In my experience, I had one of the providers on my care team tend to talk too fast and talk over me, you know, and I finally had to have a conversation with her.
02:02And I said, listen, you know, I know you see this every day, but this is not my life, like, you know what I mean?
02:09So I need you to understand that you need to slow it down.
02:12Let me write some stuff down.
02:14Let me ask questions.
02:15And medical jargon is so difficult to understand if you're not in that world.
02:19So there are things that are normal that they don't tell you are normal or routine.
02:24You know, hearing someone say, having a nurse explain to you, okay, so this is what's normal or typical.
02:29We don't have anything to compare this to from last year, which is why we need to get more.
02:33It just, those little explanations can help a peace of mind for a patient and I think makes a world of difference.
02:40I always tell women, the more you know, the better.
02:43And the more you know walking into that exam room, the better.
02:46Because if you don't know what to ask for, sometimes the doctor may not know what to suggest in terms of treatment or surgery.
02:53So advocacy groups are critical.
02:56When I was diagnosed back in July 2019 at the age of 37, I didn't know of any groups at the time.
03:03I didn't see any black women who looked like me in my age group, which was why I created my own advocacy group and a sense of community.
03:11So that I could share my story with other women, educate them about everything that I'd learned in a 15-month span.
03:19I didn't have that during my journey, so I created it.
03:22I love something not existing and you saying, I'm going to do something about it.
03:26Such like a black woman, by the way.
03:28Isn't that what we do?
03:29That is the mantra.
03:30I'll do it.
03:31We create.
03:32You know, they say there's a seat at the table for everyone.
03:35I created my own table and I'm just saying pull up a chair.
03:38Pull up a chair to learn about breast cancer, specifically triple negative breast cancer, because we are affected at a higher rate.
03:43Maybe not everybody has a group that may be near them or feel that it's accessible to, but if there's a woman today that has gotten a breast cancer diagnosis, what advice would you give her and also maybe the people supporting her on next steps?
04:01I would tell her to take a deep breath, learn all you can about your own diagnosis, be proactive in your treatment process.
04:12And make sure that you're open to the support from others, because it does get overwhelming at times.
04:19We need that support.
04:21Jasmine, what about you?
04:21What would you tell that woman?
04:23I would first say, no matter what your diagnosis is, no matter what the end result is, always advocate for yourself.
04:31And if you're not able to, find someone who can.
04:35And I would also encourage her to surround herself with positive energy and positive people to lift her during that journey.
04:41Yeah, I love to hear that.
04:43Finding groups that you can trust for the information that you need is so important.
04:46So be educated.
04:48I would say also that, you know, you're not alone.
04:51The community we have is so beautiful.
04:53I mean, look at us now.
04:55We're fabulous.
04:56We're surviving and thriving.
04:57Yeah, surviving and thriving.
04:58I love to hear it.
04:59And it's been a pleasure being with you guys today.
05:02And just you're such a wealth of positivity and joy.
05:05It's been a pleasure.
