Marielle Santos McLeod thought she knew a lot about cancer care. Years as a health professional had given her time to learn about cancer care and gain a closer look at the challenges Latinos face in getting treatment. That’s why, when the mother of four was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 36, she was shocked by just how little she really knew. However, it was enduring the disease as a young Latina that guided her toward her life's purpose – serving as a patient health leader to uplift the voice of Latino cancer survivors. “I love advocacy .... It's like one of the things that I'm convinced that I was put on this earth to do. I just had to get cancer to get to it first,” Santos McLeod said. Update 03/16/2026: After the initial publication of her story ...
The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at UT Health San Antonio is announcing its 16th Annual Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day on Monday April 27, 2026. In celebration, the institute is calling for abstracts for posters from researchers that demonstrate the power of translational science, which is the process of using research to develop interventions. Translational science aims to improve health and improve disease outcomes. Abstracts can highlight translational research projects that are complete or ongoing. Selected projects will join a poster session on the day of the event. submit an abstract HERE!
Participant Guidelines for Translational Science Research
The deadline for abstract submissions is Monday, April 6, 2026. If ...
More than 59 million Americans provide care for an adult with a complex medical condition or disability. When it comes to Latinos, 17% of caregivers in the U.S. are Latino. A recently published report from the Pew Research Center found that lower-income adults with an aging parent, spouse, or partner are more likely to be caregivers than those in higher income tiers. “What we found is that the caregiving burden increases as aging family members get to be 75 and older. And, among Americans with an aging parent, spouse or partner, those with lower incomes are much more likely to be caregivers than those with middle and upper incomes,” according to the Pew Research Center. Let’s dig deeper into this study’s key takeaways that can impact families.
10% of All U.S. Adults ...
As the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US, colorectal cancer is affecting more Americans now than ever before. While scientists are working to find out why these rates are increasing, the numbers continue to grow, especially in people younger than 50. Here are 9 bilingual resources for colorectal cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families.
1. Colorectal Cancer Support Services
Cancer is a very costly disease in more ways than one. Not only does it create a physical and emotional burden, but also a financial one. Several organizations are working to ease the financial burden of colorectal cancer treatment, including the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. Colorectal Cancer Alliance connects patients and caregivers to financial ...
In South Texas, risk is high for liver cancer, cervical cancer, and pediatric leukemia. To pave way for responsive research, the Creando Conexiones: Creating a Patient Centered Cancer Health Research Agenda in South Texas (Creando Conexiones) project aimed to outline patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (PC-CER) priorities and topics identified by South Texas cancer survivors, caregivers, and stakeholders affected by these cancers. The result is the Creando Conexiones: Cancer-Related Health Outcomes Research Agenda. Let's explore the agenda.
Developing the Creando Conexiones Research Agenda
Dr. Rebecca Jones of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio launched the Creando Conexiones program with a $250,000 from the ...
March is recognized as Colon Cancer Awareness Month. In Bexar County, more than half (57%) of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, higher than many other Texas counties. Additionally, we see colorectal cancer mortality rates also surpassing Texas averages, along with significant issues in late-stage diagnosis among Latino populations. With this in mind, Salud America! and Precinct 1 Bexar County Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores joined forces to spread awareness when it comes to colon cancer and inform the South Texas community about importance of early detection and prevention. The episode is hosted by Rebecca Jones, PhD, an assistant Professor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Jones is a researcher who focuses on colon ...
It’s often said that a cancer diagnosis doesn’t just affect the person that has cancer, it affects the entire family. That’s especially true in today’s landscape when cancer is starting to affect younger people in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s. The people being diagnosed with cancer today often have young children. In a lifetime, one in 20 kids will experience a parent’s cancer diagnosis before they graduate high school, according to the Pickles Group. These young children often struggle to comprehend cancer and how it might change a family dynamic. Not only do lifestyles change, so do increasing thoughts of mortality and the fear of losing a parent to the disease. The experience of having a parent with cancer can be extremely difficult ...
The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) and the College for Health, Community, and Policy (HCaP) at UT San Antonio wants to fund a new batch of one-year Community Engagement Small Project Grants. The grants aim to help promote, develop, and expand community- academic research partnerships for the translation of science from basic discovery to clinical practice, to that benefit public health, according to the 2026 funding announcement. Last year’s grants enabled seven teams of researchers to translate scientific findings to benefit public health in San Antonio. These projects covered topics such as gun violence prevention, neurofeedback and childhood creativity, environmental lead hazards, and more. Now your team could be the next ones to ...
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. There are roughly 147,000 new colorectal cancer cases in the US each year as of 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What’s more, colorectal cancer was linked to 53,779 deaths in the US in 2023. These statistics make colorectal cancer the fourth-most common type of cancer and the fourth-largest cause of cancer-related deaths across all age groups, according to the CDC. Many of these cases and deaths are in individuals from overlooked populations, including Latinos, which were brought on by non-medical drivers of health, such as lack of access to quality cancer care and limitedaccess to screening. In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we are diving into the 8 ...
