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Alyssa Escalante

Articles by Alyssa Escalante

Neil Meade: Fighting Fires and Beating Thyroid Cancer



The blare of firetruck sirens, the glow of buildings ablaze, and the thick smell of smoke are all too familiar for Neil Meade. As a seasoned firefighter in San Antonio, he’s faced many dangers and helped others through life-threatening situations. But nothing could prepare him for a cancer diagnosis. Meade, a devoted family man and veteran of countless emergency calls, suddenly found himself battling a personal, silent, unpredictable opponent — thyroid cancer. A Passion for Serving People Meade, a native of Chicago, moved to San Antonio with his parents, returned to Chicago, but eventually returned to San Antonio and lives here now. He started his service career in the Air Force. “I spent eight years on active duty in the Air Force, and when I got out ... I tested ...

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4 Resources to Explore for Men’s Health Month


Men's Health Month graphic

The month of June is recognized as Men’s Health Month. It’s a time to educate, start conversations, and share resources on men’s health. This year’s theme is “Partners in Care: Advancing Men’s Health Through Connection, Education, & Advocacy Across the Lifespan — for Better Lifespans,” according to the Men’s Health Network. “Health behaviors, access to care, and long-term outcomes are shaped by relationships with partners, families, caregivers, friends, and communities,” Men’s Health Network states. “When men are supported through shared advocacy, education, empathy, and connection, outcomes improve not only for men, but for everyone connected to them.” Let’s look into resources you can find and share with others during Men’s Health ...

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Launching the “Every Cancer, Every Story” Webinar Series for South Texas


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Cancer is a serious health threat in South Texas. To improve cancer education and care for these communities, the Mid Rio Grande Border Area Health Education Center (MRGB AHEC) is launching the “Every Cancer, Every Story: A Series of Conversations” in collaboration with the UT Health San Antonio Mays Cancer Center Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE). The series will feature cancer-education webinars in June (brain), July (bone), September (prostate), and November (pancreas). “All cancers are equally important. They all impact on the quality of life for the individual, family, and community. The research shows that the earlier the detection, the earlier the treatment. Therefore, providing education on these types of cancer could lead to saving lives,” said ...

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5 Important Ways to Celebrate Cancer Survivorship


Cancer Survivorship

May is National Cancer Survivor Month, a time to celebrate and support those who have gone through a cancer journey! Let’s look at five ways to celebrate, honor, and support cancer survivors. 1. Read about Real Latino Cancer Survivors At Salud America!, we’re inspired by personal stories of cancer survivorship. That is why we showcase amazing Salud Heroes like Marielle Santos McLeod, who survived colon cancer and now champions the patient voice through advocacy work. “It allows me the opportunity not only to be a [patient leader], but to also share the importance of why our [involvement in research] matters,” Santos McLeod said. Read more about these Salud Heroes: Read more about these Salud Heroes: Brittney Millard: Helping Patients and Persevering Through ...

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Get Help Navigating a Blood Cancer Diagnosis with Workbooks


Mother and daughter viewing resources on laptop.

In the United States, 1.8 million people are living with or in remission from a type of blood cancer, either leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). A blood cancer diagnosis can bring up many worries, emotions, and even confusion. That is why Blood Cancer United is aiming to help people with navigating their diagnosis journey with updated Survivorship Workbooks. Let’s take a look into what these workbooks consist of and how they can help families and communities maneuver cancer diagnoses. download the workbooks! Workbooks Help Blood Cancer Patients Stay Informed Blood Cancer United’s workbooks cover a range of topics related to blood cancer: Care plans Long term and late effects Healthy behavior ...

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