Come Out Against Cancer event addresses LGBTQ+ disparities in cancer care
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - It's time to Come Out Against Cancer this Thursday, August 24 from 6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. at Howell and Dragon Street.
The inaugural event addresses the importance of cancer screening in the LGBTQ+ community in North Texas. Reducing cancer disparities and advancing health equity is an overarching goal of the American Cancer Society.
The initiative will also raise funds to develop programs that educate local healthcare providers on cultural sensitivity and the needs of LGBTQ+ populations.
More than one-third of the LGBTQ+ community have experienced discrimination in a health care setting due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 75% of those who say they experienced discrimination feel it impacted their health care, according to the ACS.
"These concerns with discrimination are resulting in barriers to receiving timely care that is vital to our community and to surviving cancer," said Jim Brown American Cancer Society Vice President, Dallas/Ft. Worth. "The cost of a delayed cancer diagnosis is something the American Cancer Society is fighting to prevent. "
Last year, Dallas business owner Michelle Jolivet volunteered at the event. Inspired by their mission, she made a verbal commitment to volunteer, "recognizing it as a wonderful opportunity to give back."
Just weeks later, the reality of cancer would hit even closer to home when Jolivet received a life changing diagnosis. During a routine CT scan, doctors found a mass, which was Stage 2 bile duct cancer. It's an aggressive form of the disease, which has a 9% survival rate, according to the ACS.
"My thought to my grandson is 'Am I going to see him graduate from high school?" Jolivet reflected. "All the things that you think, 'Am I going to retire?' 'I'm going to travel?' My wife and I are going to see the world.' And all the things that we were going to do... all the sudden it occurred to me those might not and probably won't occur for me."
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