The language barrier is one of several reasons that Wyandotte County's death rate from breast cancer is higher than the national average.
Carmen Vasquez is a volunteer with the Coalition of Hispanic Women against Cancer. Their volunteers are having classes and in-home meetings to make sure that women who struggle with English know how important it is to do monthly breast self-exams and annual mammograms. Vasquez is volunteering for the coalition and battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
I recently made a House Call visit at the home of Vasquez. Speaking through an interpreter, Vasquez explained in Spanish that she was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2014.
"My mistake was trusting the doctor," Vasquez explained.
Vasquez had symptoms a year before she was diagnosed and went to the doctor to find out what was wrong. She had an extremely bad cough, pain under her arm and weakness.
"My doctor first told me I had allergies," Vasquez said.
When her pain got so bad that she went to the emergency room, doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital diagnosed her with Stage 4 breast cancer.
Now Vasquez volunteers with the Coalition of Hispanic Women Against Cancer. She tells women to listen to their bodies, go to the doctor and get checked and, if you don't get a solution to your problem, get a second opinion.
The Coalition is party funded by Susan G. Komen Kansas City and offers women access to low-cost and no-cost mammograms. They also provide Spanish-speaking breast cancer awareness classes and interpreters for medical appointments. You can contact the Coalition on 913-831-2200 or click here to visit their website.
Vasquez is still taking treatments and if feeling good. She said that her story is convincing women to get screened for breast cancer. She said many reasons minority women do not get screened is because they don't take the time for themselves because they're focused on their families and work. Lack of funds is another reason.
The Coalition can help women dealing with any barrier to getting screened for breast cancer.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
