At age 29 Julie La Fuente Louviere was in perfect shape and training for a triathlon in her native Puerto Rico. “I found a knot near my collarbone, which I believed was nothing, but my husband made me get it checked out. The diagnosis was breast cancer.” La Fuente says. After going through chemotherapy and all the side effects related to it, Julie was cancer free. Four years later and while she was pregnant cancer came back. “But the cancer came back, now in my liver and bones. The doctors recommended termination of my pregnancy because they said it would be easier to treat. For me that was not an option.” On Valentine ’s Day in 1998 Julie gave birth to her second daughter and a few days later she found out from her doctors that she only had two months left to live. ...
A recent study by the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine found Latinos and other minorities spend more time traveling to and waiting for medical care, Fox Health reports. For the study, researchers used a sample of 4,000 people who reported their wait times and the travel time to the clinics. "Unfortunately, there are so many disparities in health care access and health outcomes already identified in our health care system that I don't think these results are necessarily surprising," said Dr. Kristin N. Ray of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who worked on the study. The study found Latino patients spent an average 105 minutes waiting compared to 80 minutes of wait time among Whites non-Hispanics. "We have long known that there are disparities in ...
According to a new study most women in the U.S. sent by their doctors to be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA 2, two genes “that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer” a leading cause of cancer death in Hispanic women, never met with a counselor beforehand, Reuters reports. "There are very clear and consistent guidelines that people should receive genetic counseling before genetic testing for cancer susceptibility," said Dr. Rebecca Sutphen, the study's senior author from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. Part of the problem, according to researchers is that many doctors are not recommending patients to see a genetic counselor and today there are cheaper and more accessible genetic test options. “Genetic counselors typically explain ...
Meg Reyes, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the early age of 33. “I was only required to have a lumpectomy,” she says, “but because of the tumor size my doctors were very aggressive in my treatment and removed 16 lymph nodes,” With the support of her family and co-workers Megan survived breast cancer. 10+ years after, she’s an unofficial counselor for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, she has lost 150 pounds, has lived in Germany and England and has hosted a Japanese exchange student. [Survivorship means]“living life even after something challenging happened in your life experience. It doesn’t have to be cancer, it can be anything that you survived and how you deal with those adverse action,” Reyes said. Read Meg’s full story on Redes en ...
Yolanda Molina was diagnosed with cancer after Daisy, her Yorkie/Schnauzer hit her left breast. “The pain was so severe that tears rolled down my face,” Molina said. Two days after the incident, Yolanda found out she had breast cancer. “It’s said that God does not give us more than we can handle. I had been diabetic for28 years and under a doctor’s care for clinical depression, so I already had two strikes against me. After my first chemo treatment, I thought at the time that death had to be better,” Molina said. After going through chemo, diabetes and depression Yolanda won the battle against cancer. “Through it all, Daisy has been constantly by my side. I think about the night she “found” my lump. I think that her jumping on me made the lump come out. I ...
Alcohol consumption among Latinos is lower than in non-Hispanic whites, according to the National Institutes of Health. But, Latinos who drink are more likely to consume higher volumes of alcohol than non-Hispanic Whites. According to doctors taking a break from alcohol or giving up alcohol consumption completely can be tough, but the advantages to your health and pocket are worth the effort. Here’s what you can expect to happen long-term and short-term if you take a break from alcoholic beverages, according to Prevention: Risk for cancer falls: Drinking alcohol has been linked to an increase risk of liver, colon, mouth and rectum cancer. “The risk increases the more you drink.” More money in your pocket: A night at the bar can be detrimental for your health, but ...
A new infographic by Fast Food Menu Price, shows what happens inside your body after eating McDonald's most iconic burger? After 30 minutes of eating the 540 calories burger, the 940 milligrams of sodium begins to attack your body and dehydrates you. The symptoms of dehydration trick your body into thinking you're still hungry. After 40 minutes, you're still craving for more. 60 minutes later, begins a very slow digestion that can take up to 3 days. Are you still lovin' it? See the infographic for full ...
Un reciente estudio revelo que el tomar varias tazas de café al día podría ayudar a disminuir el cáncer de colon (el segundo cáncer con mayor incidencia entre los latinos), reporta NBC News. Para el estudio, pacientes de cáncer de colon reportaron en un diario su actividad física y su dieta. “Lo que encontramos es que un poco menos de 1,000 pacientes es que entro los que toman café regularmente tiene más probabilidad de sobrevivencia, lo que significa tienen menos probabilidad de que el cáncer recurra o que fallezcan a causa de este,” dijo el Dr. Charles Fuchs director del centro de cáncer gastrointestinal del instituto de cáncer Dana-Farber. Investigadores encontraron que aquellos que toman cuatro o más tazas de café al día tienen un 42% menos probabilidad de ...
According to a new report by the American Cancer Society, Latinos are at lesser risk of cancer than non-Hispanic whites, but it’s also a leading cause of death in the Latino community, NPR Health reports. Among the key findings “People of Hispanic origin are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage, when it's more likely to be fatal. That's especially true for melanoma and breast cancer.” Stomach, liver and gallbladder cancers tend to be more common among Latinos, “while breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer are more common among whites.” Country of origin also plays a role. Mexicans and Cubans are at higher risk of death from stomach cancer in the U.S. than other Latinos. “First-generation immigrants have lower cancer rates than Hispanics ...
