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Alyssa Gonzales

Articles by Alyssa Gonzales

Speed the Search for Better Treatments by Joining the GO2 Lung Cancer Registry!



Researchers need your help as they seek to better understand how lung cancer impacts people differently and how to improve treatment and quality of life.  That’s why the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer started its Lung Cancer Registry.   The international Lung Cancer Registry, available to join now, aims to double the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer patients from 20% to 40% by 2025.   “By sharing your lung cancer story, contributing your experiences as a person with lung cancer or a caregiver of someone with lung cancer, you are helping the research community develop new treatments,” according to GO2.  Let’s dive into more about the registry, how you can join, and how it can help Latinos.   Joining the Lung Cancer Registry   Participants interested in ...

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From Fluke to Survivor: How Angelina Vazquez Felsing is Contributing to Latino Cancer Research



“It was kind of a fluke.”  That’s how Angelina Vazquez Felsing describes the events that led to her diagnosis of lung cancer.   Like many, Vazquez Felsing maintained a healthy lifestyle.   She didn’t smoke. She ate healthy, ran regularly, and had no family history of cancer.   Vazquez Felsing, who immigrated from Mazatlán, Mexico, in 1972, grew up in the Floresville area and has lived in San Antonio for many years.   It all started when Vazquez Felsing went to her yearly checkup through the wellness program at her job, where she has worked as a systems analyst for 17 years.  “They found something that was a little bit odd. They said, ‘Well come back in a year, and we'll do another CT scan,’” she said. “And when I went back, they found that ...

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Liver Cancer Resources Latinos Should Know About



Did you know 1 in 5 people with liver cancer in the United States are Latino?   The rise of liver cancer in Latinos is happening for many reasons. Some of the big reasons include excess body weight, alcohol use, smoking, and metabolic disorders. Latinos are often diagnosed at more advanced stages of liver cancer.   With this in mind, let’s explore helpful resources for Latinos on liver cancer.   Liver Cancer Connect  With liver cancer disproportionately impacting Latinos, it’s crucial that they have educational tools and resources to help navigate through their diagnosis.   Liver Cancer Connect is a program by the Hepatitis B Foundation that provides liver cancer patients and their families with information and support.   “Although this is a serious diagnosis, ...

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Find Dementia, Parkinson’s, and Caregiver Support Groups at UT Health San Antonio!



We know that Latinos are disproportionally impacted by Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other health conditions like Parkinson’s disease.  That is why it’s important to have support and resources for those who are impacted, as well as their families and caregivers.   Let’s explore various support groups from the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio!  Support for Those with Lewy Body Dementia  The Biggs Institute hosts an in-person support group, Living Together with Lewy:  Support group for Individuals Living with Lewy Body Dementia and their Care Partners.  Lewy Body Dementia is the second-most common form of dementia, behind Alzheimer’s. It results in irreversible cognitive decline and movement problems ...

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Many Latino Families Struggle with Child Care Cost, Access



Child care is crucial for Latino and all families, but some face issues with access and cost.   While many Latino households with low incomes used no-cost child care, those who paid out-of-pocket tended to face very high costs, according to a new research brief from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families (Hispanic Research Center).  “Our findings suggest a need for sustained and varied investments to support affordable child care access for Hispanic families with low incomes,” according to the Hispanic Research Center.   Let’s dig deeper into how this impacts Latino families.   Child care Costs for Latinos   The Hispanic Research Center examined data from the 2019 National Survey of Early Care and Education to explore the average weekly hours ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 11/7/2023: How to Help Latino Caregivers Support Loved Ones Who Have Alzheimer’s or Cancer



Nearly 7 million U.S. Latinos provide unpaid care to aging or older relatives.   Many Latinos are expected to take on the respectable, but high-stress, role and often don’t consider themselves as caregivers.   How can we ensure that caregivers along with their loved ones are receiving the help and support that they need?   Let’s use #SaludTues on Nov. 7, 2023, to explore the important roles that caregivers take on along with how we can better support them and their loved ones.  WHAT: #SaludTues: How to Help Latino Caregivers Support Loved Ones Who Have Alzheimer’s or Cancer    TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.   WHERE: On Twitter (X) with hashtag #SaludTues  HOST: Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio ...

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Latino Influence on U.S. Economy Continues to Grow



The total economic output, or gross domestic product (GDP), for Latinos in the United States has grown from $1.7 trillion in 2010 to $3.2 trillion in 2021, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative’s 2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report.   Let’s dive deeper into why and how Latinos are driving the U.S. economy.   The Latino GDP  The U.S. Latino GDP is $3.2 trillion.  That makes it the is the fifth-largest economy in the world embedded inside the United States, according to 2023 U.S. Latino GPD Report.  “U.S. Latinos are not a niche market, nor small, nor as sometimes described as a market of the future,” according to the report. “It is already the third fastest growing economy on the planet, and may soon rival China’s growth rates.”  Growth of the Latino ...

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How Latinos Can Get Mental Health Resources in Spanish



One of the many factors that contributes to the disparities within mental health in the Latino community is lack of culturally accurate and relevant resources.   With this need in mind, Mental Health America (MHA) has launched a Spanish Mental Health Resource Center complete with Spanish-language resources and tools.   Let's examine what these resources have to offer and why materials like these are important for Latinos.   Spanish Mental Health Resource Center  Fostering mental health awareness and support for all is crucial.   “Language barriers can make communicating with providers difficult, or even impossible, particularly when a person is seeking counseling for sensitive or uniquely personal issues,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness ...

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How Does Vision Rehabilitation Work for Latinos?



The National Eye Institute has provided educational tools and resources in both English and Spanish that focus on vision rehabilitation.   Let’s explore these resources and how they can be beneficial for Latinos.   What is Vision Rehabilitation?   Millions of people in the United States are living with visual impairments like blindness, glaucoma, cataracts, and other vision problems.   “A visual impairment can make it hard to do everyday activities like driving or reading,” according to the National Eye Institue. “A visual impairment can’t be fixed with glasses, contacts, or other standard treatments like medicine or surgery.”  Vision rehabilitation can help make the most of the vision you have and improve quality of life.   There are lots of different ...

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