KQED
Local Hero Award Recipient Wanna Wright
Wanna is a women's health advocate, poet, playwright and
producer. Her works include "Alive to Testify" and
"No Neva Mind/It's Mind/I Mind." She is a cervical
and breast cancer survivor. She served on the board of directors
for the Women's Cancer Resource Center and the Breast Cancer
Fund. She is a past facilitator of two support groups at WCRC.
Wanna has been published in Art.Rage.Us and was included
in Mamm Magazine's feature story "50 Who Make a Difference."
Wanna also recruited 18 African American breast cancer survivors
who are featured in a twenty month calendar produced by the
African American Task Group of the Contra Costa Breast Cancer
Partnership.
KQED's Women's History
2004 Women's History Month Local Heroes
Wanna Wright
Women's Cancer Resource Center
Wanna Wright has tirelessly contributed her time to assist
women with cancer in the Bay Area and beyond. Wright, herself
a 30-year cervical cancer survivor and a 25-year breast cancer
survivor, diligently works to ensure that women with cancer
have access to treatment, information and the support that
they need as they go through the process of living with cancer.
She has worked as a community educator participating in various
projects designed to educate low-income women about their
cancer screening options. She has participated in the Contra
Costa County Task Force that has produced three calendars
of hope, information, and inspiration for African-American
women with breast cancer. She is now at work on the fourth
edition of the calendar.
In addition to her work and serving on the board of directors
of the Women's Cancer Resource Center, Wright serves on the
boards of the Breast Cancer Fund and the Intercultural Cancer
Council. Wright also takes time to accompany women on their
doctor's visits, something intrinsically important since many
women might not go to their appointments without such support.
Wright also helped the California Department of Health Services
launch a breast cancer early detection program with poet Maya
Angelou.
In 1999 Wright received Zeta Phi Beta's Phenomenal Woman
Award and in 2000 she received both the Intercultural Cancer
Council's Hope Award and Channel 7's Profile in Excellence
Award. In 2001 Wright was the recipient of the Breast Cancer
Fund's Bella Abzug Advocacy Award. Wright, also an accomplished
poet, has had her poetry featured in ART.RAGE.US: Art and
Writing by Women with Breast Cancer, and was also included
in the October 1998 issue of Mamm Magazine's feature story,
"50 Who Make a Difference."
Original
KQED article
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