Webinar: Empower Your Health and Thrive with Rheumatoid Arthritis


women on computer taking notes

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) impacts some people more than others. In fact, about 70% of people living with RA are women, according to the World Health Organization. That makes it critical to promote education, resources, and support for women when it comes to treating and managing RA. With this in mind, you’re invited to watch “Thriving with RA: Essential Tips for Women’s Health and Wellness,” an online educational session that will empower women with RA to take control of their pain and health, helping them understand treatment options and know when and how to speak up to get the care they deserve. Join us to learn practical ways to improve pain, fatigue, and depression and find support tailored to you—because no one should have to face RA alone. Panelist Victoria ...

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How Cancer Centers Are Addressing Local Needs


UCM Oncology Food Pantry

More than 2 million people in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. No two among them will experience cancer exactly the same way. Even so, certain groups of people will share similar cancer experiences—experiences marked by deep disadvantage. Latinos face higher rates of cervical, liver, and stomach cancers. Black women with ovarian cancer don’t live as long as White women with the disease. People living in rural areas are less likely to get regular cancer screenings than those who live in cities. And people who live in areas where poverty has been the norm for decades are more likely to die of cancer than those living in more affluent areas. These patterns of worse outcomes among specific groups of people are called cancer disparities. Although ...

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Report: Over a Third of US Counties Are Maternity Care Deserts


Daughter touching the belly of her pregnant mother

The US is experiencing a maternity healthcare crisis where pre-term labors and infant and maternal mortality rates are up due to a lack of access to prenatal and postpartum care.  Many of these women live in areas designated as maternity care deserts. These are areas where pregnant individuals and mothers have limited or nonexistent access to vital prenatal and postpartum health care.  Maternal care deserts exist in 35% of US counties — encompassing 2.3 million reproductive aged women, according to the March of Dimes’ annual report, Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts in the US.  According to the report, living in these areas greatly increases their risk for infant and maternal mortality, pre-term labor, and untreated conditions that could harm the lives of the mother or ...

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Dr. Patricia Chalela Named IBC Foundation Endowed Professorship in Health Promotion Research


Patricia Chalela IHPR UT Health San Antonio researcher health promotion

Dr. Patricia Chalela, a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio, has been named the IBC Foundation Endowed Professorship in Health Promotion Research. The International Bancshares Corporation (IBC) Foundation is a private foundation affiliated with IBC and its subsidiary banks. It is dedicated to supporting charities that enrich the community and improve the health and wellness of people in Texas and Oklahoma. The foundation made a $2 million donation that established four endowed professorships at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Chalela's endowment, which is for $500,000, aims to help her advance novel research in health promotion. "I am deeply honored and sincerely grateful to be nominated as the recipient of the IBC Foundation ...

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New UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital Set to Open


New Multispecialty Research Hospital at night.

After years of anticipation, the brand-new UT Health San Antonio hospital is set to open its doors to the public on Dec. 10, 2024.  The UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital is the first of its kind.  Serving patients in South Texas, the hospital aims to be a hub for innovative therapies and treatments for cancer and other diseases while granting visitors access to experts in their fields of study.   Let’s break down all the details about the new UT Health San Antonio hospital and how it will serve Latinos and all people in The Alamo City.  New UT Health San Antonio Hospital   The new $472 million facility stands at eight stories tall to house advanced interventional radiology, a specialized intensive care unit and an integrated imaging center ...

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Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez Speaks Up for Latino Representation in Research, Healthcare


Latino Representation cancer letter amelie ramirez 4

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, joined other Latino cancer experts to discuss Latino representation in clinical trials, research, and healthcare on a podcast episode for the Cancer History Project by The Cancer Letter. The episode features: Dr. Ramirez Dr. Luis Carvajal-Carmona, University of California, Davis Dr. Edith Perez, Mayo Clinic Dr. Marcia Cruz-Correa, University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center Dr. Yolanda Sanchez, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center Dr. Ruben Mesa, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (moderator) The group explores cancer in Latinos, health equity, and how to support Latino cancer care clinicians, researchers, and patients. “The pipeline ...

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Why Millions of Texans Are Losing Medicaid Coverage


Medicaid eligibility

Two million Texans lost their Medicaid health insurance coverage in part due to state errors after federal funding to Texas ended after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent article from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. Many who feel “wrongly removed” are struggling to regain their coverage. “Texas’ zealousness in removing people from Medicaid was a choice that contradicted federal guidelines from the start,” according to the article. “That decision was devastating in Texas, which already insures a smaller percentage of its population through Medicaid than almost any other state and is one of 10 that never expanded eligibility after the passage of the Affordable Care Act.” If you’re struggling with a Medicaid application in Texas, you can share your story ...

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Brittney Millard: Advocating for Patients and Persevering Through Breast Cancer



Cancer can be many things. Some describe cancer as a journey, a struggle, or a fight. For Brittney Millard, a breast cancer diagnosis was a life-changing event that gave her the passion to advocate for other cancer survivors. “It's really what's in your heart. You can advocate for people you know in your daily life, just spreading awareness and taking initiative,” Millard said. Millard, 32, an intern at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, still faced many hardships with her cancer experience. But now she aims to help others avoid pitfalls she went through. Let’s learn more about her inspiring story and her goals for advocating for others. A Major Life Change A native of San Antonio, Millard described her childhood as ...

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