What We Do
THE MOVEMENT IN ACTION
Building the conditions for equitable care.
Across North Carolina, SheLEADs is building the infrastructure for a more connected and equitable breast cancer care ecosystem — from strengthening relationships between community organizations and healthcare providers to developing culturally responsive education and identifying opportunities for sustainable systems change.
Early priorities include improving referral pathways, increasing awareness of and access to clinical trials, expanding culturally responsive fertility counseling, and identifying ways to integrate peer navigators into healthcare systems and routine oncology care.
“Build a system of support so women don’t need to ask.”
— UNC Lineberger, Community Partner
Five Ways We’re Driving Change
01 — Community
Convene partners, assess community needs, identify priorities, and develop collaborative solutions.
02 — Navigation
Peer navigation & psychosocial support. Train peer navigators. Provide one-on-one support and connect to resources.
03 — Education
Community outreach. Workshops in partnership with ABC and culturally specific health, fertility, and healthy living.
04 — Providers
Healthcare professional education. Workshops and professional education in culturally responsive, patient-centered care.
05 — Systems
Systems change & advocacy. Identify barriers, promote notable practices, and advance sustainable solutions.
SheLEADS Activates Will:
Build Knowledge
& Power
Equip Black women with the knowledge, tools, confidence, and resources to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions throughout the
breast cancer continuum.
Develop Community Leaders
Train and activate survivors, advocates, and peer navigators as trusted
leaders who educate, navigate, advocate, and mobilize change in their
communities.
Strengthen Community Capacity
Build the capacity of community-based organizations to address breast cancer disparities, deliver culturally responsive support, and sustain equity-
focused initiatives.
Improve the Care Experience
Engage and educate healthcare providers and systems to strengthen
culturally responsive, patient-centered, guideline-concordant care for Black
women.
Build Trusted Partnerships
Create durable partnerships among communities, healthcare systems,
researchers, policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to identify
and address barriers to equitable care.
Turn Lived Experience Into Action
Create mechanisms for Black women’s experiences, priorities, and community insights to directly inform programs, healthcare practices,
research, and policy.
Advance Systems Change
Identify and address policies, practices, institutional barriers, and environmental conditions that contribute to inequities in screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and outcomes.
Demonstrate & Scale What Works
Measure the impact of the SheLEADS approach, document effective
strategies, and build a replicable community-driven model that can be
adapted and scaled nationally.
– Funded by Partnership and Generous Support –
SheLEADS is supported by Merck Foundation and Pivotal, a Gates Foundation initiative, to improve outcomes and advance health equity for Black women in North Carolina.
Together, we can create a more connected, equitable, and supportive breast cancer care experience across North Carolina.
Together, we can create a more connected, equitable, and supportive breast cancer care experience across North Carolina.