Our commitment to community health

Our initiative to improve breast cancer screening, care, and treatment for Black women was driven by alarming disparities. Although Black women have lower breast cancer incidence rates, they experience significantly higher mortality—24% higher than white non-Hispanic/Latina women in Minnesota.

Initial outreach targeted 360 Black women overdue for mammograms within an 8-mile radius of the Robbinsdale Breast Center. In 2023, we hosted two staff trainings led by Race Forward, equipping participants with Racial Equity Tools for decision-making and policy development. A dedicated workgroup of Black women employees used these tools to recommend culturally responsive improvements, resulting in updated website content, brochures, and educational materials.

Community engagement was central. In 2023, 23 Black women toured the Breast Center and provided feedback on space design, communication strategies, and cultural representation. In 2024, we partnered with the Cultural Wellness Center to host four community conversations with approximately 100 Black women. These sessions explored disparities, empathetic design, care narratives, and cultural attitudes toward breast health, generating actionable recommendations.

Our outreach efforts reached over 1,200 individuals annually through events such as Live Your Healthy Lyfe, Twin Cities Pride, and city-based resource fairs. Materials included breast self-exam shower cards and educational exhibits featuring Black women and breast health visuals.

In early 2024, we hired a Community Health Worker (CHW) who shares the racial and cultural background of our target population. She has contacted over 400 Black women, resulting in 213 completed mammograms and several cancer diagnoses. The CHW also collaborates with care management to address barriers such as insurance access and transportation. Notably, 20% of patients reported transportation challenges, prompting efforts to identify additional support resources.

We also translated our “Mammogram – What to Expect” brochure into Somali to better serve our diverse patient population. In recognition of these efforts, the Minnesota Hospital Association honored North Memorial Health in 2024 for our Black Women’s Breast Health Initiative.