ANNAPOLIS, MD & PHILADELPHIA, PA — Unite for HER and TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance (TOUCHBBCA), have announced the 2025 Care for HER program, an initiative aimed at reducing racial disparities in breast cancer care by providing free integrative therapies and around-the-clock, culturally tailored nurse navigation to Black breast cancer patients.
Presented by AstraZeneca and Gilead, the program builds on the success of its 2024 pilot, which achieved significant engagement and will be featured at this year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
The collaboration addresses a well-documented gap in breast cancer outcomes. Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer despite slightly lower overall incidence rates. Among women under 35, Black patients face double the diagnosis rate and triple the mortality rate of their white counterparts. Additionally, 54 percent of breast cancers in Black women are diagnosed at a local stage, compared to 64 percent for white women.
Unite for HER reported a 62 percent increase in patients joining its programs in 2024, with nearly 60 percent identifying as Black or part of underserved groups. Its Empowered Living year-round support initiative grew by 430 percent, underscoring the rising demand for culturally responsive care.
“The Care for HER program spreads awareness of the alarming statistics for Black breast cancer patients and makes a difference providing life-changing integrative therapies and personal support. The growth demonstrates the need and interest,” said Sue Weldon, CEO of Unite for HER.
“Our Navigators are all seasoned Black nurses and social workers, and breast cancer survivors,” said Ricki Fairley, CEO of TOUCHBBCA. “We are the only 24/7 navigation program. Our services build trust, leading to education and a generational impact to change the breast cancer trajectory for Black women.”
The program’s expansion reflects a growing focus on equity-driven care models that combine clinical treatment with emotional and educational support, particularly in communities facing higher mortality and lower access to specialized care.
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