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Team WHIP will host a September Social Lunch and Learn with guest speakers discussing healthcare disparities, mental wellness resources and Forge Breast Cancer Center. 

Registered guests will meet on Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. at Sip Cafe in West Point and enjoy a meal while learning about mental wellness resources.

Team WHIP (Working to Help Those in Pink) is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and support to breast cancer survivors and their loved ones.

Le’Andrea Anderson-Tolbert, Clinical Research Coordinator for Wisdom Study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will be speaking about the prevalence of healthcare disparities in rural and minority populations and how to make changes that can impact health outcomes.

“African Americans are dying at a larger rate than any other race to breast cancer,” said Team WHIP Director Narfunda Ross.

More women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other form, except skin cancer.

There are 125.3 per 100,000 diagnoses of breast cancer in White women, while there are 119.6 per 100,000 in Black women in the U.S.

However, 26.4 per 100,000 Black women die from breast cancer while only 19 per 100,000 White women die from the disease, according to the Center for Disease Control United States Cancer Statistics.

Lauren Roberts, ex officio at Forge Breast Cancer Center will also speak on the resources that breast cancer survivors can utilize for support and counseling. There will be information about access to free mental health counseling for Alabama residents and recently diagnosed cancer survivors.

The resources are available to both cancer survivors and their loved ones.

According to Ross, a survey through Team WHIP revealed that the highest needs of the group were for mental wellness resources, regarding both a cancer diagnosis and life and relationship challenges.

Ross said there will be counseling resources from Auburn University at the event as well. Those interested in attending the event can register online at teamwhip2015.com.