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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

Griselda Rubio: An Èxito! Grad, Vegetarian, Kickboxer…and Advocate for Latino Health



Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2014 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for the 2015 Èxito! program. Griselda Rubio Laredo, Texas Griselda Rubio is the definition of healthy: A vegetarian who is physically fit and taught yoga and kickboxing. Rubio, born and raised in Laredo, Texas, has applied this passion for a healthy lifestyle and a love of learning to a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in health administration—and works to manage data, coordinate patients and community relations, and help with clinical research. She also believes that “you have to be able and willing to do a little bit of everything even if it means learning a new skill.” That’s why she ...

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Study: Latina, Black Breast Cancer Patients Have Poor Knowledge about Their Condition



U.S. women with breast cancer do not know much about their condition, and minority women are much less likely to report accurate knowledge about their tumors, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer, Medical News Today reports. Researchers asked 500 women about their breast cancer grade, stage, and subtype. "The results showed that while 32-82% said they knew each of the tumor characteristics they were asked about, only 20-58% could actually specify them correctly," according to the news article. Latina and black women had less knowledge about their tumors. Less knowledge was also associated with having less formal education and lower health literacy. A woman's cancer knowledge is important, researchers say, because patients who fully understand their cancer may be ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 1/20/15: What All Latinas NEED to Know about Cervical Cancer



Latinas are twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as non-Latina women. Why does cervical cancer—which is highly curable with early detection and highly preventable through vaccines—pose such a threat to Latinas? Let’s use #SaludTues to tweet strategies and resources to increase cervical cancer knowledge, prevention, and screening among Latinas: WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “What All Latinas NEED to Know about Cervical Cancer” DATE: Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015 TIME: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT) WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludToday CO-HOSTS: @CDC_Cancer (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), @livestrong, and @thenci (National Cancer Institute and oncologist Dr. Sarah Temkin) We’ll open the floor to your stories and experiences as we ...

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Webinar 1/20/15: Managing Stress among Latina Cancer Survivors



You're invited to a webinar to explore stress and quality of life among Latina breast cancer survivors. The webinar, set for 11 a.m. CST on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, will describe the development and testing of Nuevo Amanecer, a cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention developed specifically for Spanish-speaking Latinas with breast cancer to improve their quality of life. The project translated an evidence-based CBSM program by integrating it with formative work and community best practices. The webinar will be conducted by Redes En Acción, a national Latino cancer research network funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. The webinar ...

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Study: Latino, Black Cancer Survivors Struggle with Financial Health



About 1 of 5 cancer survivors—especially Latinos and black survivors—reported having problems paying bills long after the end of treatment, according to a new study, HealthDay reports. The study, which examined 1,514 survivors' responses to an American Cancer Society survey, also found that many survivors have unresolved physical and mental health issues long after treatment. One-third of survivors reported physical problems. Many respondents also "expressed anxiety about the possible return of their cancer" and feel they had lost "personal control." “Overall, we found that cancer survivors are often caught off guard by the lingering problems they experience after cancer treatment," said Mary Ann Burg, study author and social work professor at the University of Central Florida ...

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Maritza Pulido: An Èxito! Grad Who Advocates for Those Facing Racial/Ethnic Bias



Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2014 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for the 2015 Èxito! program. Maritza Pulido San Francisco, Calif. Growing up in California, Maritza Pulido had a strong-willed father who would object to her being placed into English-as-a-second-language classes just because of her last name. Now she is an advocate for those who are mislabeled due to their last name and race. Pulido, who developed a compassion for Latinos through her studies abroad in Chile and her travel throughout Latin America, wants to see educational equity for all people. She also values empowering youth toward education and overall betterment. To that end, she earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a ...

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Christina Olson: An Èxito! Grad Goes from Neuroscience to Public Health



Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2014 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for the 2015 Èxito! program. Christina Olson San Diego, Calif. With a long-felt desire to study science and encouragement from her family, it was not a shock when Christina Olson earned a neuroscience degree in college. However, her interest in public health came as a surprise. When a close supervisor and mentor encouraged her to “sit at that table” and pursue public health, she did just that, moving to Washington, D.C., to work in international and border health policy and finishing a master’s degree in public health from San Diego State University. To expand her passion for public health and to consider pursuing a doctoral degree, Olson applied ...

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Latina Survivors Savor a Decade of Living in Technicolor



In 2004, 26 Latina breast cancer survivors from South Texas shared their stories to inspire hope, comfort, and resiliency in a bilingual booklet called Nuestras Historias. Today, many of the survivors have new, heart-warming stories to tell about how Latinas can survive cancer and thrive in the workplace, school, home, and family on the 10th anniversary of the booklet, which was produced by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and her Redes En Acción Latino cancer research network funded by the National Cancer Institute. They vivacious survivors have been living in "technicolor," you might say. Indeed, check out a new story, "Latina Survivors Savor a Decade of Living in Technicolor," on Pages 12-15 of the UT Health Science Center's Mission ...

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Using the New Breast Cancer Education Toolkit for Latinas



Susan G. Komen for the Cure recently launched its Breast Cancer Education Toolkit for Hispanic/Latino Communities, a free, online resource that arms educators with Latino-culture specific communication resources, videos, and practical tools. But what affect can using the toolkit have? Yarazetd Mendoza-Camargo of the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia wrote a blog post to share how developing and utilizing the Toolkit empowered her and her colleagues to share information with local Latinas, and build a closer community relationship. "The tips it includes to approach our audience create an inviting atmosphere to share sensitive information," Mendoza-Camargo wrote. "For example, two women came into the Consulate for services and while they were waiting, they listened to the breast ...

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