Know Your Lemons App x TOUCH Empowering Black Women in Breast Health
A Partnership with Purpose:
TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance (TOUCH BBCA), is a national nonprofit leading the charge to end Black breast cancer through collaboration, research, and advocacy. They elevate Black voices and experiences by pushing for equitable data, increased clinical trial participation, and culturally relevant education and support. Through bold initiatives and partnerships, TOUCH BBCA is reshaping breast health equity and driving real change for Black women.
The partnership between Know Your Lemons and TOUCH BBCA matters because it combines accessible, empowering education with deep leadership in Black breast health equity. Together, they help ensure Black women receive culturally relevant tools, personalized risk information, and the confidence to advocate for themselves in a healthcare system that has often overlooked them. This collaboration bridges education and equity—turning awareness into action and helping close gaps in early detection and outcomes.
At the heart of this partnership is a shared vision to empower Black women with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to take control of their breast health and advocate for themselves at every step.
A New Feature for Black Breast Health
Know Your Lemons together with TOUCH BBC are excited to announce the launch of a new English version of the Know Your Lemons app for Black audiences in the US.
If you already have the app, all you need to do to access this feature in the app is click on the hamburger menu at the right top corner, tap Settings, and then Language. It will appear as: "English (Black Audiences USA)". Or if you are downloading the Know Your Lemons app for the first time, you can select this version during on-boarding when it asks if you would like to “customize for Black breast health.”
All information you provide on the app, including health data, remains private on your phone and is not collected or passed on.
With updated wording on the Black Breast Health version, the app will be able to help clearly guide any Black woman navigating the medical field and give her confidence to advocate for herself. She will also feel right at home and comfortable in getting to know her body with a Fairy Godmother self-exam audio guide presented by the experienced voice actor Sherry Carter-Brownell. These adaptations are helping women overcome the taboo and stigma that Black women face.
Black women in the U.S. are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages, more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, and more likely to die from the disease despite similar incidence rates compared to white women. In recognition of these stats and the lived experiences of Black women diagnosed with breast cancer, TOUCH BBCA coined “Black Breast Cancer” and defined it as the constellation of exposures, experiences, and lack of science for Black women diagnosed with breast cancer that causes Black women to face disproportionately worse breast cancer outcomes. Given the unique and specific considerations of Black Breast Cancer, we must create healthcare navigation tools that are just as unique and specific for our community.
According to an Ad Council study, 92% of Black women agree breast health is important and 25% of women have recently discussed it, but only 17% have taken steps to understand their risk. This feature offers a culturally-tailored, clear, and engaging way to increase that 17%. For example, key elements like the Fairy Godmother self breast exam guide help turn awareness into habit.
Path of Advocacy towards Equity
TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, has seen firsthand how often young, Black women are unaware of their breast cancer risk, are dismissed by doctors and end up with delayed, more advanced diagnoses. The Black Breast Health feature on the Know Your Lemons app names this dismissal and acknowledges earned medical mistrust, while also providing core, representative tools that empower Black women to:
Know what exactly to look for around breast cancer symptoms
Trust what they feel
Feel justified in seeking care
Understand their right to equitable treatment
It’s not just about knowing where to go—it’s about knowing when and how to speak up, what to ask for, and believing that your concerns deserve attention. Culturally relevant tools like Know Your Lemons and TOUCH BBCA do more than share information; they build confidence and agency.
The Know Your Lemons App – A Lifesaving Tool
The Know Your Lemons app is a free, easy-to-use breast health app designed to help you know your body and trust what you feel. It teaches the 12 signs of breast cancer, guides you through step-by-step self-checks, and sends monthly reminders. The app is inclusive, available in 10 languages—now including an English version for Black audiences. This new version will help support Black women and men in navigating their breast health including: spotting changes early, advocating for themselves, and showing up informed and confident at doctor visits.
Core features:
Guided self-exam audio: Step-by-step audio instructions that show you how to do a breast self-exam confidently, not just tell you to do one.
Risk assessment: A short questionnaire that looks at personal and family history to better understand your breast cancer risk.
Tyrer-Cuzick risk score: Uses a trusted, comprehensive risk model to calculate a personalized breast cancer risk score you can share with your doctor.
Personalized screening plan: Turns your risk score into a clear screening roadmap, helping you know when to start mammograms or other imaging based on your risk—not just your age.
Mammogram prep tools: Education on what to expect and how to prepare for mammograms and other breast imaging, helping reduce stress and uncertainty.
Monthly reminders & badges: Gentle reminders and achievement badges encourage you to stay consistent with self-exams and make breast health a monthly habit.
The Know Your Lemons app was designed with accessibility in mind. It offers guided education, reminders that meet you where you are and no medical jargon or fear-based messaging. By making breast health education uplifting and approachable, the app helps turn awareness into confidence and confidence into action.
What do you do now?
Breast health education should be clear, inclusive, and accessible for everyone. The Know Your Lemons app was designed to do exactly that—making complex medical information easy to understand while addressing the unique barriers many women face in healthcare.
With the Black Breast Health feature, the app helps Black women navigate conversations with providers, understand their risks, and take proactive steps toward early detection.
Take charge of your health—download the app and start learning your body today.
