A new resource for Black, Indigenous, and Women of Colour who have been diagnosed with breast cancer was launched at the beginning of October for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The new resource, called Uncovered: A Breast Recognition Project, was created by Rethink Breast Cancer to shine a light on the real life stories, including the difficulties and inequities, of Black, Indigenous and Women of Colour in Canada while getting treatment for breast cancer.
Vicky auf der Mauer, an Inuk woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, said she found it difficult when deciding to get treated through western medicine rather than traditional Indigenous healing.
“The way my process was is I had to ensure not only that I heard (the doctors’) suggestions, but that they heard my hesitations and why I was struggling with being kind of a passive patient and just doing what they said,” she said.
auf der Mauer said she decided to tell her story in Uncovered because her experience of being an Indigenous woman going through treatment was unique.
“I knew as I was going through it that it was something that I was eventually going to have to share with the community because I had never heard of my experience.”
She said she also wanted to tell her story for the Indigenous women going through a similar experience.
“I really shared it to speak to the Indigenous woman who’s confused, who’s scared, who kind of doesn’t want to go with western medicine’s recommendations, and to know that she can make this her own journey if she so chooses,” she said. “So, I really did it for her.”
auf der Mauer said her advice to Indigenous women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer would be to take the time, if possible, to decide what type of treatment they want by talking with community members, participating in ceremony or any other means to feel they can make the right choice for themselves.
(PHOTO: Vicky auf der Mauer, an Inuk woman originally from Baffin Island, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. Photo courtesy of Vicky auf der Mauer.)