It’s a statistic that feels deeply personal: one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. But behind those numbers are real people — each with a story of survival, resilience, and hope.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., the average age of diagnosis for Black women in the U.S. is 60. That reality often reinforces the belief that breast cancer is primarily a disease of older women — a misconception that can leave younger women feeling overlooked or unprepared.

Shenae Curry’s Story: A Young Survivor’s Journey

Shenae Curry, breast cancer survivor.

Still, breast cancer doesn’t always wait for later in life. What started as a routine shower for Shenae Curry, 33, quickly turned into a life-altering moment. “While exfoliating, I felt a hard marble-sized lump on the side of my left breast,” she recalls. At that moment, she knew it was cancer.

The Brooklyn-native received her diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer in November 2022, and after months of tests, scans, medications and biopsies, was finally diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in March 2025.

Curry’s experience highlights a broader reality: Black women are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages and with aggressive subtypes, and systemic barriers can make early detection and treatment more difficult.

Closing the Gap: Research, Representation, and Genetic Equity

Adana Llanos, Ph.D, MPH

Dr. Adana Llanos is an Associate Professor in the department of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Her research examines how social and structural conditions shape cancer risk and outcomes at both biological and community levels. “Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed at younger ages and with late-stage or triple-negative breast cancer,” she explains. “These inequities persist even after accounting for socioeconomic status, highlighting disparities in access and treatment.”

Genetic testing is another area where inequities appear. A 2005 University of Pennsylvania study found that Black women with close relatives who had breast or ovarian cancer were nearly five times less likely than white women to be offered genetic testing. Lead researcher Dr. Katrina Armstrong noted that mistrust, especially toward new technologies, and concerns about genetic discrimination may have played a role.

Two decades later, challenges still persist. Lack of trust and limited access to quality care and trials still play a major role in delayed diagnoses and equitable treatment.

Dr. Traci N. Bethea, Assistant Professor at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, highlights that many studies now focus on expanding access to genetic testing—particularly for high-risk mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2. These efforts aim to improve treatment and prevention for patients and their families, especially in diverse populations where variants of unknown significance are more common. Still, she cautions that requiring patients to share genetic data can raise ethical concerns around privacy and consent.

Traci N. Bethea, Ph.D, MPA

While Black women represent 12% of breast cancer patients, they make up only 3% of participants in randomized control trials for therapeutics,” Dr. Llanos emphasizes in a Columbia Cancer interview. This underrepresentation can result in FDA-approved drugs that aren’t fully tested across all ethnicities.

Even when systemic barriers aren’t present, Curry recognizes the value of having a person of color advocate for her well-being. “My psychiatrist is a Black woman — the only Black person on my team,” she asserts. During such a vulnerable time, it was important for her not to feel the need to code-switch or over explain. “It makes the experience better knowing she understands me.”

The medical community is working to close the gap in breast cancer outcomes between African-American women and other ethnicities. “Health systems are beginning to implement patient navigation programs and partnerships with trusted community organizations to help women overcome logistical and emotional barriers to screening and cancer care,” says Dr. Llanos.

Early Detection Saves Lives: Know Your Body, Speak Up

As a survivor, Curry urges Black women to become aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. “It’s better to have had cancer and fight it now, than to have it at an older age with it having progressed to a further stage.”

Bottom line: You know your body the best. Get screened, and speak up about concerns because early detection and advocacy can save lives.

To learn more about early detection and diagnosis, visit Cancer.org.