PLATFORM : A Special Invitation

When I drive down the street and I see the Virginia Slims sign with the beautiful black women, it makes me realize that they’re targeted. They’re one of the fastest, one of the remaining growth areas for (tobacco companies).

Black Americans have a 9% greater risk of developing cancer than whites. The five-year survival rate is 25% lower than expected, and the mortality rate is 30% higher than that for whites. Back when I was in medical school, the figures were somewhat reversed.

Just as we need to get the educational process out there on how to avoid AIDS, we have to get education out there on how to have Pap smears to avoid cervical cancer, how to avoid smoking, how to avoid fat in the diet.

(Minorities) need a special invitation to this information because they don’t always realize it’s for them. There is a tendency to think, “Well, this may affect the majority population, but I’m too worried right now putting food on the table to take care of this.”