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Catherine Stewart

Catherine Stewart is a digital content curator for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. She is a graduate of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland College Park, and hopes to utilize her skills to help people find their voices and inspire change in their communities.

Articles by Catherine Stewart

5 Facts You Should Know About Myopia


Checking little girl's eyesight with binocular slit lamp in ophthalmology clinic, close-up. Vision correction in children

Your eye health is important.  In fact, when left unchecked, poor eye health can lead to serious complications for your overall health and quality of life. This is especially true for children.  One of the biggest threats to eye health is myopia, or nearsightedness, which is a very common eye condition, affecting many children.  Here are five facts about Myopia you should be aware of and how to tackle them to make sure your child kicks the school year off on the right foot.  You can also donate to help families afford eye exams for their children!  1. Myopia Affects Many Children Myopia, or nearsightedness, affects 40% of people in the US, according to Cleveland Clinic.   However, the condition is rising in school-aged children. Experts anticipate that this will ...

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Share Your Cancer Story with the Avanzando Caminos Team


Avanzando Caminos team

Just like fingerprints are tailored to the individual they belong to, no two cancer survivor stories are the same. Yet, every single one is important. “Every story is unique, and every story is worth understanding and learning from,” said Dr. Derek Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez is the research scientist helping lead the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship study team at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Everyone’s cancer journey is different and paved with unique challenges and obstacles that define treatment, quality of life, and long-lasting health impacts, he explained. And that’s exactly what the dedicated Avanzando Caminos team is trying to get to the bottom of by collecting the stories of survivors. Let’s ...

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Celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day


National Cancer Survivors Day

Cancer survivors are more than their diagnosis. They are an example of resilience, courage, and unwavering determination brought on by a fight — well fought and won. Throughout the month of June, for National Cancer Survivors Month, we at Salud America! are honoring survivors by sharing their stories of sacrifice and triumph and focusing on ways to improve cancer outcomes for those battling the disease. To kick off the month we are celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day. Let’s explore what National Cancer Survivors Day is all about and learn about ways to participate! What is National Cancer Survivors Day? Every year National Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of June. This year it will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Led by the National ...

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Let’s Talk Cancer Survivorship with Avanzando Caminos


BioMedSA Avanzando Caminos Podcast

South Texas is home to one of the largest populations of Hispanic/Latinos in the nation.   Many people in this region face challenges that jeopardize their health and make them more susceptible to risk factors and diseases, such as cancer.   These challenges can also hinder cancer care, resulting in worse cancer outcomes.  That’s why one the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship study at UT Health San Antonio aims to address some of these issues and find ways to intervene so that survivors can have an improved quality of life.  The Avanzando Caminos study was recently highlighted in a podcast produced by Salud America! for BioMedSA, a non-profit that advances health in San Antonio.  For the podcast, Avanzando Caminos program manager and research ...

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Celebrate Mother’s Day with These Maternal Health Resources


Celebrate Mother’s Day with These Maternal Health Resources

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who raised us, cared for us, and put our needs above their own.  Now, it’s time to take care of her.  Whether you're a first-time mom or have a few kiddos under your belt, here are four health and wellness resources for mothers.   1. National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Launched on Mother’s Day 2022, the National Maternal Health Hotline is a free, 24/7, confidential hotline that supports women, before, during, and after pregnancy via phone call or text.   The hotline was designed to help combat maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity crisis in the US by connecting women to counselors, including licensed health care professionals, certified educators, and specialists.    These counselors listen to the ...

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Seniors, Are You Following the New COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations?


Senior women getting a vaccine

As we continue to deal with COVID-19, the seniors in many of our familias are still at high risk for the virus’ serious health impacts. Between 2020 and 2025, seniors ages 65 and older were among those with the highest rates of death due to COVID-19, accounting for 936,523, or 76%, of all COVID-19 deaths in the US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine has significantly slowed and reduced cases, many seniors remain burdened by complications from the virus for several reasons. These include vaccine hesitancy, challenges to vaccine access, and the spread of incorrect information about the vaccine. That’s why our friends at CVEEP are reminding seniors and other immunocompromised individuals ...

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Britney Ortiz: From Research Assistant to Colorectal Cancer Caregiver



A lot can change in the wake of a cancer diagnosis, especially for a daughter.  “When a person gets sick, the whole family gets sick, especially in the Hispanic and Latino community ... It is really a family effort when it comes to going through cancer treatment and a cancer diagnosis,” Britney Ortiz said.  Being a research assistant in the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship research study at UT Health San Antonio, Britney Ortiz thought she knew a lot about cancer.  But her father's unexpected cancer diagnosis gave her a true understanding of the disease.  In a short period of time, Britney went from interviewing survivors about their cancer journey to being a caregiver for a loved one.  A Shocking Cancer Diagnosis  Britney said her father’s ...

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Study: 5 More Minutes of Increased Physical Activity Can Lower Dementia Risk


Senior couple jogging in the summer park

Moving Matters! Did you know that physical activity directly impacts your health?   The more work you put into your body, the more you reap the long- and short-term health benefits of exercise.  That’s true at any age, but especially in older adults, who experience higher risk for diseases such as heart disease and cancer.  One of the most serious diseases many older individuals face is dementia and Alzheimer's, which affects nearly 1 out of every 9 seniors in the US as of 2023, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.  But with a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, symptoms have been known to ease and those who haven’t been diagnosed with the disease show a reduced risk for developing it.  In fact, a new study published by the Journal ...

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Mays Cancer Center Aims to ‘Give Cancer the Boot’ With Fundraising Race


Give Cancer the Boot race 2024

The American Cancer Society estimates over 2 million new cancer cases and 600,000 cancer deaths among Latinos and all people in the US in 2025, according to a new report.  This makes cancer one of the most prevalent, deadly health issues facing our nation.   To respond to the health crisis of cancer in South Texas, the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio is hosting its annual Give Cancer the Boot Survivorship 5K and 1-Mile Walk in celebration of cancer survivors, patients, and their families on April 5, 2025.   REGISTER NOW! Give Cancer the Boot   Not only does the event raise awareness about the impact of cancer on the community, but it also goes to support the Mays Cancer Center’s Patient and Family Assistance Fund.  The Patient and Family Assistance Fund ...

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