Skip to content

Cancer Survivor Awareness Month: Honoring Survivors, Highlighting Challenges, and Spreading Hope

Search

Latest Stories

Giving as Medicine for the Soul

According to Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew, giving is about more than just money—it’s about offering your time, your talent, or whatever is meaningful to you.

Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich
Research

Giving as Medicine for the Soul

A woman in a sleeveless green dress stands at a clear podium, speaking into a handheld microphone. She has long, dark hair and wears a pink ribbon pin, symbolizing breast cancer awareness. A projection screen behind her shows a live feed of her speech.

Breast cancer survivor Karla Mingo shares her journey to inspire women and emphasize the life-saving importance of early detection.

Health Awareness Month Calendar

From Pain to Passion: Karla Mingo’s Journey Inspires During Cancer Survivors Month

A smiling young woman with braided hair, wearing a light-colored blazer and watch, holding a grey coffee mug with both hands. She is sitting in a modern, well-lit office space with green plants in the background.
Black women deserve to practice self-care, even while navigating the demands of the workplace.
istock - PeopleImages
Women

From Burnout to Balance: Why Black Women Must Prioritize Self-Care at Work

African American

Black Maternal Health Week: Addressing Racial Disparities in Maternal Care

Black Maternal Health Week: Addressing Racial Disparities in Maternal Care
Photo by Shelly Shell on Unsplash
Beth Frutkin
By Beth FrutkinMar 20, 2025
Beth Frutkin
Founder and driving force behind Divine Health, Beth combines her expertise in marketing and technology to make health information accessible, engaging, and impactful. Her passion for health education stems from personal experiences and a desire to bridge the gap between science and everyday wellness, ensuring readers have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. Through Divine Health, she curates and shares valuable insights on nutrition, fitness, mental health, medical advancements, and emerging health trends.
See Full Bio

Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), observed annually from April 11-17, is a national campaign founded by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance in 2018. It raises awareness about the disproportionate maternal health challenges faced by Black women in the United States and advocates for systemic change in maternal healthcare (Black Mamas Matter Alliance, 2018). Addressing Black maternal health is crucial for achieving health equity, improving overall public health outcomes, and ensuring that all women have access to safe, respectful, and high-quality maternal care. It requires a multifaceted approach involving policy changes, healthcare system reforms, and efforts to combat racism and discrimination in medical settings.

The Urgency of Black Maternal Health

The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and Black women are disproportionately affected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women (CDC, 2022). Structural racism, implicit bias in healthcare, and limited access to quality medical services contribute to these disparities.

The Goals of Black Maternal Health Week

BMHW aims to:

  1. Raise Awareness – Educate the public about the racial disparities in maternal health.
  2. Advocate for Policy Change – Support legislation that addresses racial inequities in healthcare.
  3. Promote Community-Based Solutions – Highlight programs that provide culturally competent care for Black mothers.
  4. Amplify Black Voices – Center the experiences and leadership of Black women in maternal health discussions.

Addressing Systemic Challenges

Several factors contribute to Black maternal health disparities, including:

  • Implicit Bias in Healthcare – Studies show that Black women’s pain and concerns are often dismissed by medical professionals (American Journal of Public Health, 2019).
  • Socioeconomic Barriers – Limited access to prenatal care, financial constraints, and geographic disparities affect maternal outcomes.
  • Chronic Stress and Weathering – The cumulative effect of systemic racism and social stressors can negatively impact pregnancy outcomes (Journal of Women’s Health, 2020).

Advocacy and Policy Efforts

Legislative efforts like the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, introduced in Congress, seek to address these disparities by expanding access to healthcare, funding research, and improving maternal care training (U.S. Congress, 2021). Additionally, community organizations provide essential resources, such as doula support and culturally sensitive maternity care.

How to Support Black Maternal Health Week

Individuals and organizations can contribute by:

  • Spreading awareness on social media using #BMHW.
  • Supporting Black-led maternal health organizations.
  • Advocating for policies that promote equitable maternal healthcare.
  • Educating themselves on the impact of racial disparities in maternal health.

Black Maternal Health Week is a crucial initiative that sheds light on racial disparities in maternal healthcare and calls for systemic change. By supporting policies, amplifying Black voices, and ensuring equitable care, society can work toward a future where Black mothers receive the quality healthcare they deserve.

References

Recent

Empowering Minority Women Through Genetic Testing: Bridging Gaps in Awareness and Access
Women

Empowering Minority Women Through Genetic Testing: Bridging Gaps in Awareness and Access

Cancer Survivor Awareness Month: Honoring Survivors, Highlighting Challenges, and Spreading Hope
Health Resources

Cancer Survivor Awareness Month: Honoring Survivors, Highlighting Challenges, and Spreading Hope

Cord Blood Awareness Month: What It Is and Why It Matters
Health Topics

Cord Blood Awareness Month: What It Is and Why It Matters

Oncoplastic Surgery Is Redefining Wholeness for Black Breast Cancer Survivors
Women

Oncoplastic Surgery Is Redefining Wholeness for Black Breast Cancer Survivors

More Stories

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Photo by Melanie Kreutz on Unsplash

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, observed this month, and every other July, brings attention to the unique challenges faced by minority communities concerning mental health. Established in 2008, this month aims to shed light on the disparities in mental health care and promote awareness, prevention, and treatment for minority populations.

Historical Context

The recognition of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month can be traced back to the efforts of Bebe Moore Campbell, an American author, journalist, and mental health advocate. Campbell's work highlighted the struggles of individuals in minority communities dealing with mental health issues. Her advocacy paved the way for the designation of this awareness month by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 .

Keep ReadingShow less
keep reading
Autumn Yarbrough: Revolutionizing Hair Care with a Healthy Twist!

Autumn Yarbrough: Revolutionizing Hair Care with a Healthy Twist!

Although many Black women are scrambling for the right hairstyle to deal with the summer heat and humidity, they are finding out that healthy hair is good in any season.

Since the 1700s, Black women have been trapped in the ongoing struggle of dealing with their hair and cultural significance.

Keep ReadingShow less
keep reading
A woman in a sleeveless green dress stands at a clear podium, speaking into a handheld microphone. She has long, dark hair and wears a pink ribbon pin, symbolizing breast cancer awareness. A projection screen behind her shows a live feed of her speech.

Breast cancer survivor Karla Mingo shares her journey to inspire women and emphasize the life-saving importance of early detection.

From Pain to Passion: Karla Mingo’s Journey Inspires During Cancer Survivors Month

While many families spend June preparing for vacations, graduations, and family reunions, another group marks a deeply personal milestone: Cancer Survivors Month. It is a time of reflection, gratitude, and renewed purpose for millions of survivors across the country. For 8 year breast cancer survivor Karla Mingo, it’s also an opportunity to boldly share her testimony and advocate for others.

“I believe it’s important to acknowledge cancer survivors in June because it brings attention to the unique challenges that women—especially African American women—face with breast cancer,” says Mingo. “We die from this disease at a higher rate than any other demographic. Moments like this bring awareness to an issue that needs to stay in the forefront of everyone’s mind.”

Keep ReadingShow less
keep reading
A smiling young woman with braided hair, wearing a light-colored blazer and watch, holding a grey coffee mug with both hands. She is sitting in a modern, well-lit office space with green plants in the background.
Black women deserve to practice self-care, even while navigating the demands of the workplace.
istock - PeopleImages

From Burnout to Balance: Why Black Women Must Prioritize Self-Care at Work

By the time Alexis walks into the office, she’s already exhausted. She was up before dawn making sure her kids had what they needed for school, checking in on her aging mother, and answering a few work emails before she even stepped out the door. At work, she’s the go-to problem solver, the reliable one, the woman who “somehow does it all.” But beneath her polished exterior, she carries the weight of unspoken expectations, microaggressions, and the constant pressure to prove herself. The stress lingers in her tight shoulders, her pounding headaches, and the emotional eating she turns to late at night when the world is finally quiet. Like so many Black women in the workplace, Alexis is running on empty—because somewhere along the way, she learned that taking care of herself came last.

As Black women, we've inherited a complex relationship with self-care. From being celebrated as the "strong Black woman" to carrying the weight of our families and communities, taking care of ourselves often falls last on our endless to-do lists. As someone who gained and lost over 700 pounds before finding freedom from stress eating, emotional overeating, and yoyo dieting, I understand this struggle intimately.

Keep ReadingShow less
keep reading
Empowering Minority Women Through Genetic Testing: Bridging Gaps in Awareness and Access

Kimberly VanYsseldyk, MN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, ACGN, CGRA — a highly respected Nurse Practitioner —works diligently with the National Consortium of Breast Centers to improve information about Cancer Genetic Risk Assessments.

Empowering Minority Women Through Genetic Testing: Bridging Gaps in Awareness and Access

A breast cancer diagnosis can be life-changing for any woman, but for many women of color, it often comes with additional challenges—limited access to healthcare, cultural and language barriers, and a long history of mistrust toward the medical system.

Why Genetic Testing Matters

Keep ReadingShow less
keep reading
×