Breast Cancer's Toll: Understanding Its Significance on Black Women in Bayview Hunters Point

Black women in Bayview Hunters Point have faced a higher risk of developing breast cancer than any other demographic in San Francisco for decades, with compelling evidence linking this alarming trend to the Hunters Point Shipyard. Declared a superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1989, the abandoned shipyard symbolizes the systemic neglect experienced by its residents, as noted by Bradley Angel, executive director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. This nonprofit organization is currently pursuing legal action against the U.S. Navy and the EPA.The Navy operated the shipyard as a decontamination site from 1945 to 1963, exposing many workers and residents to radiation. A "Breast Cancer Necklace" theory proposed by physician Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai highlights a radiogenic cluster in the area, correlating high rates of breast cancer to environmental hazards surrounding the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory. Generational impacts are evident, with community members like Joevelyn Senigar-Young illustrating the enduring legacy of this injustice. Residential exposure to toxic elements continues to devastate the health of Bayview Hunters Point families.