Episode 19: Surviving Cancer

Research shows that black women are at greater risk than white women of developing or dying from a handful of cancers, including those of the breast, colon/rectum, lungs, and cervix. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that there are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S. in 2014.  From an Ebony Magazine article, according to ACS’s Cancer Facts & Figures for African American’s 2013-2014, approximately 27,060 new breast cancer cases were expected to occur among African American women.  Breast cancer incidence rates are higher among white women for most age groups. However, among younger women under age 40, the mortality rate of breast cancer is higher in African Americans than in whites. While October is the month of Breast Cancer Awareness, we will chat with one mom is not only surviving cancer herself but so is her son.   Guest Momologist:  Stephanie Cooksey Stephanie Cooksey is a native of North Texas and currently lives in Allen, TX.  She has been married to Marcus Cooksey for over 17 years and is the mother of two boys, Cameron (15yrs old) and Evan (12yrs old).  She began college at the University of Houston and graduated from the University of North Texas. Stephanie is a “Momtrepreneur” and is currently the COO of LUI Transport, LLC, which she started with her husband a couple of years ago. Stephanie has a passion for education and spends a major portion of her days volunteering at her sons’ schools in the PTA and on the school’s PTA board.  Because of her family’s personal experiences with childhood leukemia and breast cancer, they spend most of their volunteer time volunteering and advocating for organizations that support families experiencing the same fight and for organizations that provide monies for research for the cure and treatment of cancer. Stephanie loves to travel with her family and experience life as “the natives” do in the places that they visit.    Momologist of the Week: Janisa Camille of the Baltimore / DC Area.  The Mom Jeans on Me blogger is also the founder of Mommas Who Brunch, which creates a safe place for moms from all walks of life, to network and connect over brunch.   Moms Group Highlight:  Sister’s Network They are a National African-American Breast Cancer Survivorship Organization committed to increasing local and national attention to  the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community. Check out our show notes for where to find them.  http://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/index.html     Resources: Carter, K (2014 October 22) Breast Cancer & Black Women: Survivors Need Survivors. Ebony. Retrieved from: https://www.ebony.com/wellness-empowerment/breast-cancer-black-women-survivors-need-survivors-987   Black Women’s Health Imperative (2017 July 20) Black Women and Breast Cancer: Why Our Diagnosis and Care Are Different. Retrieved from: https://www.bwhi.org/2017/07/20/black-women-breast-cancer-diagnosis-care/     American Cancer Society. Prognostic Factors in Childhood Leukemia. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/leukemia-in-children/detection-diagnosis-staging/prognostic-factors.html   Producer: Greenville Ave. Studios  - http://www.greenvilleaverecordingstudio.com/   Continue the Discussion, Download, Subscribe, Rate, Like, Follow Us, and Share on: Twitter: @MMomology Insta: @mahoganymomology FB: @MahoganyMomology Email Us: [email protected]