Developed in partnership with Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the University of Southern California Annenberg Norman Lear Center, the event assembled storytellers and a medical breast cancer expert to discuss the very real disparities in health care services that exist in access to health risk, prevention, treatment messages and care for women of color.
The conversation focused on young women and people of color who are most affected by early onset breast cancer, the inequities in access to risk information and health care, and how television programs can inspire young women to take action for their health. Speakers explored ways in which content creators can shed light on the topic and promote positive social change by incorporating more storylines on these issues in their programs.
Panelists included departing showrunner and executive producer Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy); co-executive producer and writer Kristi Korzec (Superman & Lois); the creator of Dickinson on Apple TV+, Alena Smith, who penned a recent New York Times article on her own preventative breast cancer surgery; and Carlie Thompson, Board-certified and fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist. The discussion was moderated by Carri Twigg, co-founder and head of development for Culture House production company.
