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On Dec. 4, 2025, 15 cancer survivors and caregivers embarked on a journey to become patient leaders through the 2026 Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program.
These individuals spanned different backgrounds, cancer types, geographies, genders, and multiple organizations and came together to train as a collective group focused on helping people like them.
Over 8 months, they learned how to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing cancer care environment and explored ways to transform lived experience into actionable change.
They overcame cancer reoccurrences, ongoing treatment, and personal hardships to make it to the finish line and became full-fledged patient leaders, who are working to elevate their voices among decisionmakers and create new research opportunities for Latinos.
Congratulations to the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program’s graduating class of 2026.
“They have built a space where love, empathy, encouragement, joy, and even sadness can be shared openly. A space where opportunities are celebrated, challenges are faced together, and learning never stops. A space where collaboration replaces competition and where every person’s voice matters,” said program co-creator Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez of the University of Puerto Rico.
2026 Latino Cancer Patient Leader Cohort
In honor of the newest group to become Latino cancer patient leaders, here are some of the ways they hope to use their training to support patients, caregivers, and their families.
Arnoldo Rodríguez, TX, Lymphoma/Prostate Survivor
Arnoldo is launching a prostate cancer support group in September 2026 in partnership with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Health Cancer & Surgery Center.
He endeavors to expand the group to hold two meetings a month – one in Spanish and one in English. His next move is to create a lymphoma support group.
Brooks Fuentes, OR, Breast Cancer Survivor
Brooks is seeking ways to grow patient advocacy by engaging in outreach and resources for young Latinas impacted by breast cancer.
She also hopes to use her role within the Oregon Cancer Coalition to help build stronger relationships with Latino communities and organizations, help bridge gaps in patient and survivor care, and bring new perspectives into the coalition.
Carolina E Uribe Abad, KS, Breast Cancer Survivor
Carolina is using her survivorship experience to raise awareness about cancer, empower others to speak up for their healthcare needs, and support survivors like her.
She also hopes to connect individuals and famlies with the mental support and resources they need.
Claudia Pérez-Favela, CA, Cervical Cancer Survivor
Claudia is going to continue educating Latinas like her who struggle with taking steps to prevent cancer, educate on the importance of early detection, and share resources.
She also wants to launch a community project to create a sustainable community program for families in her home in Imperial County, Calif.
Deborah Blake-Ontiveros, UT, Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Deb wants to make patient information and resources accessible for Spanish-speaking patients.
She also hopes to use her story to help patients feel informed, seen and heard, and empowered to stand up for their health.
Diana Garibaldi, FL, Breast Cancer Survivor
Diana hopes to use her survivorship experience to strengthen the mission of BBellaBStrong of empowering Latina women and all women affected by breast cancer.
She also wants to provide bilingual education, support, and resources.
Jackie Berrios Branch, OR, Breast Cancer Survivor
Now that her training is complete, Jackie wants to increase the number of Latino cancer patients and survivors on cancer advisory boards and program planning so they can use their experiences to directly inform cancer services, resources, and research.
Javier Cantu, TX, Caregiver
Javier wants to invest in the next training cohort by identifying and recruiting three applicants so they can benefit from the program.
José Adorno, OH, Lymphoma Survivor
José wants “to impact directly or indirectly as many lives as possible and leave my mark letting people know that at least one person cares and supports them.”
Karen Estrada, FL, Acute Myelocytic Leukemia Survivor
Karen aims to be an inspiration to families and show them the truth about cancer and how beautiful things can emerge from difficult times and pain.
She also hopes to expand her knowledge of other cancer types to be able to educate patients and families on different treatment options, including participating in clinical trials.
Mignaliz “Nanny” Vega-Morales, Colon-Ovarian Cancer Survivor
Nanny wants to tackle the Latino cancer challenges at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
She wants to do this by promoting health improvement for the Hispanic/Latino community and using shared experience to help address the challenges in healthcare access, education, and prevention.
Melissa González, FL, Endometrial Cancer Survivor
Melissa’s goal is to keep learning and using her voice to help patients feel heard, supported, and empowered to speak up for themselves.
Monica Binciguerra, IL, Lung Cancer Survivor
Monica endeavors to create or leverage an existing organization to develop a program dedicated to serving the Latino community.
She also wants to create new content, resources, and programs to make sure information about cancer is linguistically accessible and tailored to the Latino community.
Shirley Pacheco, CA, Breast Cancer Survivor
Shirley wants to continue volunteering with breast cancer patients in the hospital and assist with a nonprofit organization focused on women’s cancer.
She wants to continue facilitating cancer support groups and hopes to one day volunteer as a patient navigator.
Tristana I Vázquez Torres, Puerto Rico, Colorectal Cancer Survivor
Tristana wants to help make safe and accessible movement and wellness practices and integrate them as part of cancer care.
She also wants to support research that studies how these programs can help improve quality of life for patients and survivors.
Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program
The most recent class of advocates joins a existing network of 15 other survivors working together to improve cancer outcomes for Latinos and all people!
The program created by Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez of the University of Puerto Rico and the late Sandi Standford of the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation began in 2023 when 15 Latina cancer survivors were selected to participate in the first-ever Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program.
They met for the first time ahead of the 2024 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference on Feb. 20, 2024.
That meeting set a movement into motion — the movement of putting Latino cancer survivors in positions where they could leverage their experiences to help future Latino survivors.
Graduates of the program are now in leadership roles, meeting with stakeholders, sharing their stories with media organizations, assisting organizations with education and prevention, serving on committees, and so much more.
Two graduates from the inaugural class, colon cancer survivors Marielle Santos McLeod from South Carolina and Andrea Suarez Vargas from Miami, Florida, even returned to support the 2026 graduating class and welcome them into the fold of an ever-growing network of Latino patient leaders.
Listen to our latest Salud Talks podcast to learn about what the pair have been up to since the training and how they’ve put what they’ve learned into practice!
With tassels moved to the other side, program leaders are setting their sights on making room for the next cohort of patient leaders.
“You really have to have passion to become a patient advocate,” said Segarra-Vazquez. “It’s that desire to help others, that desire to speak for those who cannot speak, maybe because they’re not sitting at the table, or maybe because they’re not here anymore. It’s our role to continue the legacy and to have less people or no people at all die from cancer.”
Applications for the next training program will be available in 2027.
This publication is dedicated to the loving memory of Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program co-creator Sandi Sandford of the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. The survivor and advocate who dedicated her life to improving cancer outcomes for Latinos and all people, passed away on Aug. 29, 2026.
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