Webinar: The Intersection of Genetics & Cancer in Clinical Trials
Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 11 AM - 12 PM CST
PART 4 OF CHI’S 10-PART SERIES: FROM RESEARCHER TO PATIENT - MAKING CLINICAL TRIALS MORE DIVERSE
About the webinar
This program focuses on the intersections of genetics, Black Breast Cancer, and clinical trials. Black women are 41% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, with Black breast cancer patients experiencing the lowest 5-year survival rate of any race or ethnicity. Overall 5-year relative survival rates are 81% for Black women vs 91% for white women. Black women under 35 get breast cancer at twice the rate and die at three times the rate. A 2021 study published in Cancer Medicine found that Black women have a nearly three-fold increased risk of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer–an aggressive subtype of breast cancer. Despite these disturbing statistics, Black women are largely excluded from trials that study breast cancer drugs and treatments, which means that these fundamental safety and efficacy concerns aren't being answered for Black women's bodies. Moreover, with low participation rates in clinical trials, Black women miss access to newly emerging and often life-extending treatments not otherwise available. As documented by JCO Precision Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and many others, Black women experience many cancer drug side effects differently. Trial data, the resulting treatment protocols, and product development don't account for the many factors of Black Breast Cancer. We will not be able to change the devastating Black Breast Cancer mortality numbers unless we understand the physiology of Black women. We cannot do that until we have more Black women participating in clinical research. Featuring the expertise of Ms. Ricki Fairley, a breast cancer survivor and clinical trial expert, the webinar will discuss how to address common pitfalls that result in the underrepresentation of Black women in cancer clinical trials.
Series Host
Dr. Neelum Aggarwal, MD
Professor, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center
Dr. Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD, is the Chief Diversity Officer at American Medical Women’s Association and Associate Professor, Departments of Neurological Sciences and the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center. She is the Senior Neurologist for the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center (RADC), Research Director at the Rush Heart Center for Women, and serves as the Principal Investigator and Site Principal Investigator for multiple NIA funded research studies and consortia led clinical trials. Her work focuses on how sex, gender and social determinants of health are associated with risk, detection and treatment of cognitive changes associated with dementia. Dr. Aggarwal is a long-standing voice for community based research, clinical trial participation, public health initiatives, both in Chicago and nationally. She serves as the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), and was past chair of the Governing Council of the American Medical Association- Women's Physician Section.
Currently, she co chairs the Inclusion, Diversity and Education in Alzheimer's Disease - Outreach and Policy subcommittee and the Advisory Group on Risk Evidence Education for Dementia. As the Strategic Advisor for the Science Runway, a Chicago Innovation Mentor (CIM) and past National Chair for the Women in Bio Mentoring, Advisors and Peers Committee, she is uniquely positioned to work with diverse groups of colleagues, mentor and sponsor women and men in the medical, life sciences and STEM sectors. She completed her medical degree from the Rosalind Franklin University - Chicago Medical School, completed her neurology residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and completed an aging and neurodegenerative disorders fellowship at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center.
Expert Speaker
Ms. Ricki Fairley, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, Touch: The Black Breast Cancer Alliance
CHI Board of Directors
As a Stage 3A Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor/Thriver, Ricki’s personal purpose, passion, mission, ministry, and blessing is to bring focus, attention, research, and action to eradicating Black Breast Cancer, and supporting and coaching what she calls her “Breasties” through their breast cancer experience.
Ricki is an award-winning seasoned marketing veteran that has transformed her strategic acumen into breast cancer advocacy. Ricki co-founded and serves as CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state, with the overall goal of reducing the mortality rate for Black women. Ricki founded and serves as co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live web series on the BlackDoctor.org Facebook page that reaches over 3 million viewers. She is a founding member of #BlackDataMatters, in partnership with Breastcancer.org, Ciitizen, The Center for Health Care Innovation, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Susan G. Komen Foundation to encourage and elevate the importance of Black Women participating in clinical trial research. In January 2022, she started the When We Tri(al) Movement to change the game on Black women participating in clinical trials to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer.
Ricki serves on the Board of Trustees for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation where she chairs the marketing committee. She is a board member for the Center for Healthcare Innovation, a non-profit research and educational institute making healthcare more equitable. She avidly works with pharmaceutical companies to provide the patient voice for breast cancer awareness, action, therapy/drug development, and advocacy.
Ricki has two daughters, Amanda Brown Lierman, Executive Director of Supermajority, and Hayley Brown, 4th Grade Teacher at Kipp DC. She has 3 granddaughters, Belle, 4, Leia, 2, and Hart, 10 months, who remind her of her purpose every day. Ricki is a graduate of Dartmouth College and holds an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
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