Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities) Awakenings for Black American Women Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

The goal of this clinical trial is to test an approach to promote well-being in Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can the Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities) Awakenings online intervention improve depressive symptoms in Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer? * Can the Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities) Awakenings intervention improve fatigue in Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer? * Can the Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities) Awakenings intervention improve well-being in Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer? Researchers will compare the Awakenings online intervention to a comparison condition, to see if women in the Awakenings group improve on depressive symptoms, fatigue, and well-being more than women in the comparison group. Women in the comparison condition will receive materials by mail to use on their own. Participants will: * be randomized (selected by chance) to take part in four Project SOAR Gatherings, which are small group, 90-minute to two-hour online discussions with other Black American women diagnosed with breast cancer and are designed to promote well-being OR to a comparison group. Rev. Dr.(Hon) Tammie Denyse, a 20-year breast cancer survivor and patient advocate, will lead the Gatherings, along with other experts. * devote about eight hours for women in the Project SOAR Gatherings discussions and two hours for women in the comparison group. * complete online questionnaires at the beginning of the study and one month and three months later. * receive a box of resources (e.g., book, cup, blanket, journal) designed to promote well-being.

Sex

Female

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* identifying as a woman at least 18 years of age (not limited to cisgender Black American women);
* identifying as Black (African) American;
* diagnosed with breast cancer of any stage and any diagnosis duration;
* able to speak and read English;
* residing in the United States;
* access to the internet/Zoom.

Exclusion Criteria:

* men diagnosed with breast cancer,
* non-English speaker
* nonresident of the United States
* no internet access

• BACKGROUNDOwoyemi P, Denyse T, Pageot YK, Martin KJ, DeLuz KD, Kim JHJ, Stanton AL. "You [God] Gotta Go Through It With Me": Black Women Navigating Spirituality During the Breast Cancer Journey. Psychooncology. 2025 Jan;34(1):e70085. doi: 10.1002/pon.70085. PMID 39853607
• BACKGROUNDDenyse T, Martin KJ, Kim JHJ, Pageot YK, Owoyemi P, DeLuz KD, Stanton AL. "No Complaining, No Crying": A Qualitative Study of the Strong Black Woman Schema in the Breast Cancer Context. Ann Behav Med. 2023 Aug 21;57(9):733-742. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaad029. PMID 37318273
• BACKGROUNDMartin KJ, Denyse T, Pageot YK, Kim JHJ, Owoyemi P, DeLuz KD, Stanton AL. "I'm Fighting for My Life": Exploring Interactions Between Black Women with Breast Cancer and Healthcare Providers. Qual Health Res. 2023 Jul;33(8-9):753-764. doi: 10.1177/10497323231168581. Epub 2023 May 22. PMID 37212719
• BACKGROUNDDenyse T, Martin KJ, Stanton AL. The Ubuntu Approach in Project SOAR (Speaking Our African American Realities): Building a robust community-academic partnership and culturally curated focus groups. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Dec;314:115452. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115452. Epub 2022 Oct 12. PMID 36274454