Building On Our Impact in Mexico
With nearly one year on the books since we launched our Keep A Breast App in Mexico, we are so excited by the rapid and enthusiastic response of women downloading and engaging with our app.
Since we launched in September of 2021, we now have as many users of our application in Mexico as in the United States!
Photo: Lorene Carpentier
“Since 2008, we have had the opportunity to work in many countries to share our mission and message of prevention with young people. By proposing in 2021 to our Mexican friends to offer the latest version of our application there, we did not imagine such a mobilization. The artistic scene, the associations fighting against breast cancer, have joined their efforts to allow a greater number of people to benefit from our program. We have somehow erased the geopolitical border between these two countries, and now hope that it is with the same rights that Mexican women will be able to access healthcare.”
“Desde 2008 hemos tenido la oportunidad de trabajar en muchos países para participar en acciones de prevención con jóvenes. Al proponer en 2021 a nuestros amigos mexicanos ofrecer allí la última versión de nuestra aplicación, no imaginábamos tal movilización. El panorama artístico, las asociaciones que luchan contra el cáncer de mama, han unido sus esfuerzos para que un mayor número de personas puedan beneficiarse de nuestro programa. A 1 año del lanzamiento, tenemos tantos usuarios de nuestra aplicación en México como en Estados Unidos. De alguna manera hemos borrado la frontera geopolítica entre estos dos países, y ahora esperamos que sea con los mismos derechos que las mujeres mexicanas puedan acceder a la salud.”
—Lorene Carpentier, KAB Global CEO and Board Member
WHERE IT STARTED
Our work in Mexico began in 2016. Keep A Breast always goes to communities that seek us out and want to partner. A friend of KAB Founder Shaney Jo Darden had been living in Mexico City for a long time and was working with Non-governmental Organizations (NGOS) and arts organizations there so she invited the KAB team to come and do a breast cast exhibition.
“Growing up in San Diego myself, I spent a lot of time in Baja with my family,” Darden says. “I have always loved hispanic culture and Frida Kahlo is the inspiration for the KAB cast so I jumped at the opportunity to do a project there.”
Since our breast cast exhibition, our app launch has been one of the most impactful ways to make a difference in Mexico and expand the conversation for breast health globally.
We’re especially proud of the response, given that in Latin America since 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the main concerning health trend was the increase in breast cancer diagnoses. Even more concerning is that the Pan American Health Organization estimated a 60% increase by 2030.
That’s exactly why we’ve taken major strides to expand accessibility of our app and currently offer it in English, Spanish and French.
“I’m privileged and have had access to healthcare and open conversations about my body my entire life,” says Darden. “Through my work with KAB I’ve gained a deeper understanding of how this is not true for most people. We have built a tool that gives free access to breast health education and resources for all. I’m passionate about getting this tool to as many people as possible to give them a small bit of what I’ve been so privileged to have.”
This year, we’ve continued to grow our efforts in Mexico, expanding visibility for our app and presence through our partnerships with health organizations and aligned NGOs while communicating the message that early detection saves lives.
Keep an eye out for upcoming initiatives with our partners in Mexico, and be sure to share the app with anyone you know! It’s free and it can be life-saving.
Our goal is to have women checking themselves on a monthly basis so they develop a healthy routine that is rooted in self love and self care. These building blocks lead to other healthy habits. If you find something while doing a check we are there for you to talk about it. Know your body and know what’s normal for you. Most women probably spend hours each month on their eyebrows or nails or shaving their legs. We’re just asking for 2 minutes a month to give yourself some breast love.
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