While breast cancer can strike at any time, you might not realize that survival rates from this disease can vary depending on a woman's nationality.

Originally from Panama, Maritza Krupp says her native country has a very different approach regarding serious health issues like breast cancer. "We don't get education about health, we don't get education about things that will improve our bodies."

Radiologist Mary Kay Peterson explains that it has been proven that increased health education has had a positive - even life-saving effect -- on the survival rates of women with breast cancer. "In the average Caucasian woman, for early caught breast cancer, and I say early caught meaning maybe the size of an apple seed, so that's very, very tiny, very small. the survival is about 97% in 5 years."

But many women in minority groups - like African Americans and Hispanics - don't fare as well as Caucasian women when facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

Dr. Peterson says, "It can be as low as 76%, it's disappointing. It's disappointing to be in this field and have such a disparity but all we can do is try and educate these women."

Maritza recognizes that other women like her can benefit greatly from more education regarding their health. "After hearing this story, I am going to make sure to share this information with my mother and my three sisters back in Panama."

The research indicates that the key to breast cancer survival lies in early education and detection and that's true for every nationality.

More than 40,000 American women die of breast cancer every year.