Broderick Crawford Community-Partnership Award: Dola Williams with ICanSir!

About the Organization: ICan.Sir!, a grassroots organization is seeking to become a non-profit with these goals in mind:  1) provide holistic non-medical support to African American women diagnosed with breast cancer; 2) collaborate with organizations addressing breast cancer among African American women in Wyandotte County, 3) increase awareness and education about the specific issues that African American women experience related to risk for and experiences of breast cancer (systemic racism, increased morbidity and mortality), and 4) provide education, training, and activities around holistic prevention strategies that foster health and wellbeing.

Prevention, Education, Choice. Those are the three pillars of the ICanSir! organization and extremely important to Dola Williams as she dealt with her own cancer journey about seven years ago.

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, there was a lack of services in Wyandotte County (Kan.), especially for African American women,” Williams said. “Other issues a lot of women, especially African American women, face are they do not share their diagnosis and many times, they accept the diagnosis for what it is.

“This diagnosis does not mean it is the end. It was not the end for me.”

Six years ago, Williams began working with organizations with the common goal of helping to address cancer through patient advocacy to engaging African American women in breast cancer research projects. Williams formalized ICan.Sir! in 2023 to begin supporting African American women in Wyandotte County.

And one thing the organization is doing is addressing the lack of resources and services.

Said Williams, “One example is I needed to go to the grocery store, and everyone was at work. I had neuropathy and my feet hurt and I needed a ride. I was not sick but just needed that ride because my feet hurt. I called a local organization that was providing rides for the elderly and to doctors’ appointments but what I needed was not something they were currently doing. And that made me wonder, ‘how many other people are having this issue?’”

The Broderick Crawford Community Partnership Award is helping to fuel the organization’s work by focusing on their three pillars but also allowing them to apply to become a 501(c)3 organization.

“Another aspect of the grant is our board members are currently setting up guidelines and parameters for women to apply for funds because there are expenses between what insurance will pay for and what the women will need during treatments,” said Williams, who is looking to fill two additional board member spots. “Women are going to other states for treatment, and they incur travel expenses. Some of the ointments that are recommended do not necessarily work with our skin type and those are expensive. And household chores that may be simple when you are not sick become more difficult when you are going through treatment. So, we may be able to help a woman going through treatment hire someone to help with household chores.”

Or as she says so eloquently, “these are small things until you can’t do them.”

A future goal is to offer quarterly healthy cooking classes in Wyandotte County with a local grocery store and an area restaurant as partners.

“When you’ve been cooking the same way for years, you may not know what to do with an avocado,” said Williams. “Just learning different ways that you can cook produce or meat and really take advantage of the seasonal produce is an important part of taking care of yourself.”

And that takes us back to the three pillars – Prevention, Education and Choice.

Prevention includes healthy eating and exercise as well as yearly mammograms and check-ups. Educating yourself and not just accepting an answer because it is standard protocol as well as not being afraid to ask questions to advocate for yourself. And Choice – we are advocating for choices to address our care naturally that are supported by medical professionals and insurance companies.

“In addition to making healthier decisions, I strongly believe research is important and African American women really need to have a voice,” said Williams. “Most protocols are not inclusive of results from African American women. The history of African Americans related to research often discourage us from engaging in studies. It is important that we take part in research efforts so that the results included in protocols are representative of our race as well.”

And one final thought from Williams, “Our stories are just as important as data.”

To learn more or support their efforts or to engage as a Thriver, Advocate or Mentor, visit www.ICAN-Sir.org or send an email to info@ican-sir.org.