Each February, Black History Month invites us not only to remember the past but to reckon with the injustices that persist in our present—and to take meaningful steps toward healing and equity.
One such injustice is the stark disparity in breast cancer outcomes between Black and white women in the United States. While breast cancer incidence rates are similar across racial lines, Black women are approximately 40% more likely to die from the disease. Among women under 50, the gap is even more alarming: young Black women have double the mortality rate of their white counterparts. These aren’t just numbers—they represent mothers, daughters, sisters, and communities unjustly burdened.
Why Does This Disparity Persist?
The reasons are multifaceted. Black women are more likely to face:
Aggressive cancer types such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and inflammatory breast cancer
Later-stage diagnoses, often due to limited access to regular screening like mammograms
Barriers to care, including inadequate insurance, delayed treatment, and less access to clinical trials
Higher prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, which can complicate outcomes
Stress and structural racism, which shape not only lived experience but also biological outcomes
Researchers supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) are working to close these gaps. From uncovering unique genetic markers in Black women’s tumors to developing strategies for earlier detection in low-resource areas, this work is essential. But it’s not enough on its own.
What Can Chinese Medicine Offer?
As a practitioner of Chinese medicine and depth psychology, I see firsthand how body, mind, and spirit are inseparable. Chinese medicine has long held that emotional stress, energetic imbalances, and lack of nourishment—on every level—can contribute to disease. For breast cancer specifically, we look to the Liver and Spleen systems, which govern the smooth flow of qi and blood, hormonal balance, digestion, and emotional resilience.
Here are ways Chinese medicine can support Black women navigating the breast cancer journey:
1. Addressing Emotional Trauma and Chronic Stress
The burden of systemic racism takes a toll on the nervous system and immune health. Practices like acupuncture, Focusing-based somatic dreamwork, and Chinese herbal medicine can calm the stress response, improve sleep, and restore a sense of agency.
2. Supporting the Immune System and Vitality
Chinese medicine seeks to strengthen the body’s zheng qi—our upright, defensive energy. Treatments can be tailored to support women through chemotherapy, radiation, or recovery, using gentle yet powerful herbs and acupuncture protocols to reduce side effects and enhance vitality.
3. Empowering Lifestyle Shifts
A plant-based, seasonal, and fiber-rich diet—a cornerstone of both BCRF’s findings and classical Chinese dietary therapy—can reduce inflammation and support hormonal balance. Chinese medicine also emphasizes mindful movement (like qigong) and daily rituals that attune the body to the rhythms of nature.
4. Honoring the Sacred Feminine
Breast cancer is not just a medical diagnosis—it can be a profound initiation. In Chinese medicine, the breasts are seen as extensions of the Heart, and healing must include the spirit. Guided visualizations, grief rituals, and ancestral healing practices can help reconnect women with their inner wisdom and strength.
Health Equity Requires Structural Change—and Individual Support
While lifestyle medicine and holistic care are vital, we must also name and confront the structural inequities that drive these disparities. As a white clinician, I am continually examining how to practice in a way that is anti-racist, inclusive, and actively working to repair the harm caused by centuries of medical neglect and mistrust.
This includes:
Advocating for expanded Medicaid and free or low-cost screening for underserved communities
Supporting research that includes and uplifts Black voices—both as participants and leaders
Making my practice a safer, more culturally attuned space for all women, especially women of color
A Call to Action
This Black History Month, let’s honor not just the past but the future of Black health and vitality. Let’s support research that includes Black women, challenge systems that deny care, and embrace healing models that are as whole and multidimensional as the people they serve.
If you or someone you love is navigating breast cancer—or carrying the fear of it—I welcome you into my practice with compassion, cultural humility, and the deep wisdom of Chinese medicine.
May we each do our part in the collective healing that justice demands.
