"A Breast Ain't Nothing but a Sandwich": narratives of Ella, an African American social worker breast cancer survivor.

Breast cancer mortality rates continue to increase among African American women making it imperative to develop culturally tailored programs to help reduce these rates. In this study, narratives of Ella an African American breast cancer survivor who is also a social worker were constructed. Prevalent themes were self-identity, perceptions of women living with cancer, and the socialization of African Americans in cancer prevention. Her perspective as a survivor and social worker offers insight on how the intersection of race and gender impacts breast cancer survival and has implications for future research in cancer awareness among African Americans.