A Kenyan woman who survived breast cancer is knitting prostheses and training others to make them in a country where silicone ones are expensive. Women say the affordable prostheses are a relief and a source of dignity. One woman recalled staying indoors after her mastectomy “because I didn’t want people to label me as the ‘woman with one breast’.” Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women in Kenya, where 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Reconstructive surgery is out of reach for many and is not covered by the national health insurance system.

Federal health data shows Black women are more than three times likely than white women to die around the time of childbirth. Experts say equal access to prenatal care, health disparities and racism are some of the factors contributing to this. This issue recently came back into the spotlight with viral cellphone videos showing hospital staff dismissing Black women in labor. One way that health professionals and advocates are hoping to cut into these odds is to ensure Black fathers-to-be are hands-on participants. More government-funded programs and nonprofits are centering resources around fathers. Organizers say there’s also been a noticeable attitude shift in recent years where more Black men feel they can openly discuss their own fears.