FORT SMITH, Ark. — Baptist Health-Fort Smith is hosting a Breast Cancer Awareness event to educate about the breast cancer risk in Hispanic women.
According to Baptist Health, Hispanic women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, especially in later stages of the disease.
Dr. William Cruz, a family physician at Baptist Health in Fort Smith, said Hispanic women sometimes wait until it's too late to get screened.
"They delay the test because they don't have the resources or they don't have the help that some people have," Cruz said. "That decreases the amount of percentage of people that should be doing the screening."
He also said their legal status plays a role, adding some are too afraid to get screened.
"What we have to do is just make sure that the person is going to be evaluated regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless ... regardless of the political status that the person is here," Cruz said.
Baptist Health wants to help bridge the gap and offer information in Spanish at the event. Baptist Health La Clínica del Pueblo is partnered with the Reynolds Cancer Support House to host the event.
Participants will be educated on understanding their risk of breast cancer and the importance of annual screening mammograms. They will also receive information on the risk factors for breast cancer, genetic testing, mammography and screening options for dense breast tissue.
"The important thing here is to let them know they it's very important to do the screening, so try to obtain a diagnostic and early stages that can improve the survival rate of this kind of problem," Cruz said.
If anything is found in future screenings, the hospital will help you take the steps to begin treatments.
"That's the whole intention, trying to make sure that the people have the best survival rate possible," Cruz said.
The free seminar will be Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Reynolds Cancer Support House located at 3324 South M St. in Fort Smith.
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