On hand for the kickoff were, left to right, Dr. Paris Thomas, Executive Director, Equal Hope; Aisha Murff, President of Haire’s Gulf Shrimp; and Dana Divine, host of “Equal Health, Equal Hope,” on WVON 1690 AM (Photo Courtesy of Wyn-Win Communications).
Equal Hope, a non-profit committed to ending racial disparities in cancer care, launched its 2nd Annual Breastaurant Tour this October. Running throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Oct. 1 – 31, the event aims to raise funds and promote the importance of early cancer screenings and treatment.
Restaurants across Chicagoland are participating and donating a portion of sales on select days to support Equal Hope’s mission.
“We are so grateful that more than a dozen restaurants from throughout the city have partnered with us for the Breastaurant Tour. Restaurant owners understand the importance of this cause and are standing with us to help provide treatment that helps save lives,” said Equal Hope Executive Director Dr. Paris Thomas.
The tour started at Wilma’s Famous Bar-B-Que, with other participants including Uncle Remus, Tropical Smoothie Café, Truth, Two Fish, Bronzeville Soul, and more. All the restaurants involved are minority-owned, emphasizing community support. The full schedule can be found at equalhope.org/tour.
Equal Hope focuses on breaking down the barriers women of color face when accessing cancer care. These barriers include a lack of transportation, insurance, childcare and flexibility with work schedules. Additionally, many women’s concerns are often dismissed by their doctors, and they receive inconsistent care based on where they seek treatment.
Breast cancer rates are notably higher among Black, brown, and underserved women, especially in Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods, which have the highest mortality rates. These areas are predominantly African American and Latino.
In 2023, Equal Hope’s outreach reached over 475,000 people, distributed more than 106,000 flyers, provided over 500 rides to health screenings, scheduled over 3,000 appointments, and helped 322 people establish primary care.
For information about Equal Hope and how you can join the fight, visit www.equalhope.org or call (312) 942-3368.