Abstract
Racial disparities in public health persist due to unequal representation of race in lectures, textbooks, case studies, and even clinical training in both health related and biomedical education. This racial disparity is also apparent in children’s literature. Children’s literature predominantly features white main characters, which is particularly true when looking at science books. To address these issues, the authors created an oncology book that featured not only illustrated characters of color but also highlighted a scientist of color in the oncology field. The book uses a kid-friendly approach to address topics such as cancer symptoms, uncontrolled cell division, metastasis, cancer prevention, cancer treatments and how to provide support for someone who has cancer. One of the book’s goals was to debunk myths related to cancer and provide a resource to initiate conversations about cancer for children and their families. The Oncology Book was framed from a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics career with an emphasis on health equity and social justice; therefore, it features illustrated characters of color and a real-life scientist who identifies himself as both Latino and Black who documents his work as a cancer researcher and discusses pathways into various careers in oncology. He also encourages preventative and promotional health behaviors. This article discusses the need for the creation of this free online resource (available in English and Spanish) for healthcare professionals, researchers, and educators along with a paired lesson plan that is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Published Version
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