A lot of people have fears. Getting cancer is one of them.

And why not? Cancer kills over half a million people (more than 560,000) every year. That’s about the entire population of Milwaukee dying annually.

Fear of cancer can be justified though, especially for African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinos. They suffer the most mortality of all races mainly due to a lack of cancer education.

• Cell phones can cause cancer - FALSE
• When air hits cancer during surgery, it will spread - FALSE,
• The “government” or the medical industry is hiding a cure for cancer - FALSE
• Household sprays and cleaners cause cancer - FALSE

In addition to those, there are many cancer myths specifically associated with African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos manufactured by their own cultures. For instance, both African-American and Hispanic/Latino males feel that getting tested for prostate and/or colon cancers will emasculate them – remove their machismo, even possibly change their sexual preference. However, nothing could be further from the truth. In order to change those types of beliefs, the American Cancer Society is working closely with other Wisconsin organizations such as the Wisconsin Cancer Council and the Department of Health and Family Services to improve racial classification on cancer reports, to identify and prioritize areas of concern for reducing cancer risk and burden, and to determine the reasons for racial disparities among Wisconsin residents. In addition, the American Cancer Society is currently working with many of Milwaukee’s minority-owned media to bolster their cancer education messaging.

When you boil it down, knowledge of cancer and how it affects you and your community is the first step in early detection and prevention of the disease. Spread the word. Talk about it with family and friends. Being informed is the first step in the battle against cancer.

For local information, you may call the American Cancer Society Sankofa Project office at 414.374.9445. For
24 hour access to cancer information specialist, please call 1.800.227.2345 or visit us at www.cancer.org.