Dr. Omole Exposes Systemic Bias in Breast Cancer Care

Black women in Canada face a stark reality when it comes to breast cancer: they are disproportionately affected by the disease, often diagnosed earlier, and experience higher mortality rates. Dr. Mojola Omole, a prominent breast surgical oncologist and president of the Black Physicians of Ontario, has been a vocal champion in shedding light on these critical health disparities, arguing that the current medical framework was simply not built with Black patients in mind.

Her powerful advocacy gained significant public attention following an interview on April 11, 2026, where she delved into the specific challenges Black women encounter with breast cancer and outlined the fundamental requirements for achieving true equity in medicine. Dr. Omole’s insights underscore a systemic issue that demands urgent attention and reform.

Dr. Omole’s professional background is extensive, providing a deep foundation for her expertise. Beyond her role as a breast surgical oncologist and general surgeon at Scarborough Health Network in Toronto, she is an executive board member of the Black Physicians' Association of Ontario. She also serves as a consultant for anti-Black racism and anti-oppression training, further solidifying her commitment to systemic change within healthcare. Her innovative work includes being the chief medical officer for the Stage Zero Collection, an educational bra garment designed to teach individuals about breast cancer symptoms on darker skin tones. Additionally, she co-hosts the CMAJ podcast and has a rich background in global surgery, having practiced as a surgical oncologist in Nigeria, Rwanda, and Nicaragua. Born in Nigeria, she immigrated to Canada at the age of eight, bringing a diverse perspective to her work.

Her public engagement has been consistent and impactful. On October 28, 2023, Dr. Omole was a featured panelist at the Breast Health and Awareness Workshop in Scarborough. This event, hosted in partnership with Scarborough Health Network, The Olive Branch of Hope, the Black Physicians' Association of Ontario, and TAIBU Community Health Centre, brought together over 75 community members to discuss breast cancer development and screenings. During the workshop, Dr. Omole stressed the crucial role of patient advocacy. She stated, "If patients have any sort of concern or discomfort with their breasts, it is their right to ask to see a specialist. And as providers, we need to be listening and supportive of their needs. Together, we can help dismantle the racial barriers in breast health screening and diagnoses." She also highlighted that individuals of Asian and West African descent often develop breast cancer earlier and more frequently than their white counterparts.

Further demonstrating her commitment to health education, Dr. Omole was interviewed on CBC Radio's "The Dose" on October 24, 2024, focusing on breast cancer awareness and self-examination. She advised that "anyone who has breasts" should perform self-exams, noting that cisgender males can also develop breast cancer, particularly with a family history of breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer. She powerfully advocated for destigmatizing breasts, asserting, "I do think it's important that we all destigmatize and also desexualize breasts. Like, they are an organ. People check to make sure that their blood pressure is normal. You should also check to see if your breast is normal and not necessarily just view it as a sexual organ." She explained that physical examination typically detects breast cancer around two centimeters in size, while ultrasound can detect it around one centimeter, and mammography can identify smaller calcium deposits.

Dr. Omole continued her public discourse on November 26, 2025, when she was interviewed on "Healthcaring Differently" to discuss Leadership, Diversity, and Women's Health. More recently, on February 13, 2026, she joined Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, President of the Ontario Medical Association, and Dr. Cynthia Maxwell, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Women's College Hospital, in a briefing by Ontario's doctors. This significant briefing focused on inequities in Black maternal health care and cancer screening, specifically highlighting how the lack of race-based health data in Canada creates significant gaps in care for Black women.

The gravity of Dr. Omole's work is underscored by alarming statistics on breast cancer outcomes for Black women. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Canada, yet its presentation and outcomes vary considerably by race and ethnicity. Reports indicate that Black women in Canada are 45 percent more likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50, an age that often falls outside the typical range for routine screening. This disparity carries severe consequences, with Black women facing up to 70 percent higher breast cancer mortality rates. Approximately 26 percent of Black women are diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4, compared to 17 percent of white women. Furthermore, Black women are more prone to developing aggressive subtypes, such as triple-negative breast cancer, which occurs in 17.1 percent of Black women compared to 9.9 percent of white women, particularly those of Central/West African ancestry. These aggressive subtypes often lead to poorer survival rates and limit treatment options.

A study published in *The Oncologist* on November 1, 2024, led by Dr. Anna Wilkinson and Dr. Jean Seely from the University of Ottawa, further confirmed these disparities. Their research found that a Black woman in her 40s faces a breast cancer mortality rate 40 percent higher than white women of the same age group. This study, which linked census data with the Canadian Cancer Registry, also revealed that the peak age of breast cancer diagnosis for white women is 65, while for women of other racial and ethnic groups, it ranges from 42 to 60. Dr. Omole has clearly articulated that the healthcare system's assumptions about who gets breast cancer do not reflect Canada's diverse patient population. She noted, "Black women and women of certain races often present with breast cancer about 10 years younger than expected and with more aggressive disease. They are frequently dismissed. Told they're too young, or that it's nothing."

Beyond racial biases in diagnosis, geographical inequities also play a significant role. Dr. Omole highlighted this, stating, "Scarborough has over 900,000 people and no cancer center. Newmarket has 200,000 people and does. That gap is the crux of what health equity means." These challenges extend beyond diagnosis and treatment, reaching into the systemic racism and discrimination that Black women too often face within healthcare settings.

Dr. Omole's consistent advocacy brings critical attention to the urgent need for a healthcare system that genuinely serves all its patients. Her work emphasizes that achieving health equity requires not only awareness of disparities but also active dismantling of racial barriers, improved patient advocacy, and the systematic collection of race-based health data to inform better care for Black women and other marginalized communities. The fight for equitable health outcomes continues, with Dr. Omole at the forefront, pushing for a future where all patients receive the care they deserve.