Hey, this is Flora and you're listening to Science Friday. Black women are twice as likely to die from uterine cancer compared to white women and also suffer disproportionately from other uterine-related conditions. Dr. Kemi-Doll learned these facts in medical school, but no one could explain why. Now a gynecologic oncologist, Kemi has made it her mission to change these trends and improve care for black women.

Dr. Kemi Dahl is a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and School of Public Health and the author

of the new book, A Terrible Strength, The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide

to Healing.

Kemi, thanks for being here.

Thank you so much for having me.

Talk to me about the title.

What is a terrible strength?

Yeah, the title is very intentional.

I mean, I think I know that it's unusual for us to hear those two words together,

terrible and strength.

But to me, a terrible strength is this inherited, true, powerful ability to endure and to be resilient and to be successful in a society that is not

built for you, that black women have, that has been passed down, you know, by our mothers to us

and that we use to navigate our society. And it is strong, and I think that's important,

but this strength is

terrible because that same ability to endure means that we're not seen as vulnerable to these

gynecologic diseases and conditions that can end up creating horrible quality of life and

ultimately take our lives in the form of uterine cancer.

And so, you know, that's what it means to me is that I want to honor the strength that's there.

It's real.

But I need to, we need to recognize, I should say, that it has a consequence in this world of womb health and gynecology that is profound and that really must change.

Let's talk about those consequences.

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