Rickey Fairley Dishes On When We Tri(al) [Exclusive]

Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance recently hosted an exclusive experience to drive the impactful and important conversation surrounding Black breast cancer and clinical trial participation. and BOSSIP was in attendance.

During Essence Fest, Ricki Fairley, Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor and Co-Founder of Touch BBCA, filled a room with fellow survivors also knowns as Breasties to reflect on their individual experiences battling the disease and being victorious.

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

Survivors of various ages from across the nation were in attendance including actress Nicci Carr, known for starring in GEICO’s “Scoop There It Is” commercial.

Carr shared that breast cancer doesn’t discriminate and shared a story about healthcare disparity. According to Carr, it wasn’t until a certain doctor truly listened to her concerns about a pea-sized lump in her breast that she got adequate care.

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

Other women shared similar stories and Fairley, who’s passionate about working towards the goal of eradicating Black breast cancer, discussed launching When We Tri(al), a movement dedicated to empowering and educating Black women about the importance of clinical trial participation.

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

She emphasized to BOSSIP that participating in trials is necessary despite the fear often associated with it and noted that only 3% of clinical trial participants leading to FDA approval of cancer drugs between 2008 and 2018, were Black.

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

“We did a lot of research to get to where we are now,” Fairley told BOSSIP. “And if you look, every word on our website is choreographed so carefully because we know they’re scared. But the fear is based on the unknown., the fear is based on not knowing. You’re never going to jump off that bridge if you don’t how deep the water is. You’re never going to open that door if you know what’s behind it.

“And so what we try to do on one-on-one trial is break down the science and talk about it in very elementary terms from the voice of a Breasty who you trust,” she added. “And when you break it down in very elementary terms from a Breasty, they get it and then work. And so far, we’ve signed up 904 women for clinical trials in three months. And so we know it’s working because we’re trying to really use the right language with the right voice. We’re putting a lot of video content on our page so that people see people who look like them. So instead of reading words on a screen, and if you Google “clinical trials”, Dr. Google is not friendly; the words are intimidating and scary. But we’re trying to make it safe and real and show Black women talking about it and experiencing it.”

Additionally, Fairley dished on how joy, one of the themes from this year’s Essence Fest, could be medicinal for someone who has breast cancer.

“The Breasty Club is not one you want to be in,” Fairley told BOSSIP. “You wouldn’t choose it, but once you’re in it, we have the most unconditional love and trust. Our voice to each other is the voice of joy and peace and hope. Once you’ve had breast cancer and you get through or you’re still dealing with it, you try to wake up every day to find joy in your life and to live every day to the fullest.

Every day, I dance,” she added. “I do something and I find peace in my life every day because, without joy, you have nothing. And you learn through breast cancer, that joy is the most important thing in your life. You look for it and you appreciate it in a different way.”

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

Source: Brigette Squire / Your Topix Studio

See more photos from the event below.

For more on Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, visit WhenWeTrial.Org.