The Witness Project® of Harlem

A breast and cervical cancer education project focusing on Black women.

Background and Mission

The Witness Project® of Harlem, which is sponsored by the Greater New York Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Ruttenberg Cancer Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, is based on an educational model first developed at the University of Arkansas in 1991 in response to racial disparities in breast cancer. Statistics published by the National Cancer Institute show that African American women are more likely than other groups to be diagnosed at later and less curable stages of breast cancer and are more likely to die of the disease. The Witness Project® of Harlem seeks to address these disparities by having cancer survivors openly share details about their diagnosis and treatment and confront the fear and silence that cancer evokes in many women, particularly in the Black community. At the same time, it also celebrates the rich tradition of faith that is shared by many people of African descent.

The Witness Project® has been replicated at almost 30 sites across the nation. Evaluation research has shown that women who receive the Project’s message report significant increases in mammography use and breast self-examination.

Witness® Team Members

Witness Project Team Members at a presentation