Valeda-S Hope

When a woman receives the diagnosis of breast cancer the fear, anxiety and lack of knowledge can be profound. 

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in St. Louis County and Missouri.  St. Louis County ranked third in breast cancer incidence and 55th in breast cancer mortality out of all counties in Missouri from 2015 to 2019.  From 2015 to 2019, there were 5,016 new breast cancer cases and 742 deaths due to breast cancer in St. Louis County. 3, 4 4. In 2020, 75.5% of St. Louis County women aged 50-74 reported having a mammogram within the past two years.

Black women die at a much greater rate from breast cancer than white women due to the lack of resources, fear and lack of knowledge. Though breast cancer incidence is similar between white and Black/African American women in St. Louis County (150.3 vs. 150.2 new cases per 100,000 respectively), mortality among Black/African American women is nearly double that of white women, at 32.5 deaths per 100,000 compared to 16.5.

About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

Valeda's Hope is a 501(c)3 organization, started in 2013, that has been successful in assisting breast cancer patients, but relies on funding from outside sources like yours to provide our valuable services.

Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality - St. Louis County

Breast cancer rates increasing among younger women