Volunteering for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s helps other people. It gives the volunteer a nice emotional boost, too. So why not volunteer your “digital voice” or “actions”? We at Salud America! invite you to take or start these 17 actions to promote health for Latino and all families this holiday season!
1. Get Your Town's Health Report Card!
How is the state of health in your community? Find out by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your town! Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health, and more. See how your county stacks up compared to the ...
Now comprising 20% of the US population, Latinos are among the fastest-growing populations in the country. They are also afflicted with some of the highest rates of cancer, especially cancers with lower survival rates like stomach cancer. In honor of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and a cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Dr. Derek Rodriguez, a research scientist at UT Health San Antonio, appeared on the Debbie’s Dream Foundation From the Gut podcast. In the podcast’s fourth episode, the pair of cancer researchers focused on the Avanzando Caminos Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Cohort Study and the importance of creating a community of ...
National Marrow Awareness Month is observed in November. This is a time to recognize transplant physicians, pioneering researchers, and selfless donors who make life-saving stem cell and bone marrow transplants possible, according to according to OriGen Biomedical. “Their combined efforts embody the true meaning of hope, healing, and humanity,” according to the company. With this in mind, let’s explore how bone marrow donations can help others, recognize donors, and educate others about marrow and stem cell donation.
What is Bone Marrow and Why is it Needed?
About 18,000 people in the U.S. with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other serious blood disorders need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant to survive every year, according to the Columbia University Herbert ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and a cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, joined a special episode of The Cancer Letter Podcast in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month to discuss cancer, policy, and communities. In the podcast episode, Dr. Ramirez joined with Dr. Ruben Mesa, executive director of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Dr. Luis Carvajal Carmona, associate vice chancellor and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at University of California, Davis. The trio discuss federal policy impact on cancer, including the non-medical drivers of health, research investment, and AI. It’s really been a mission of mine to really raise the flag on the importance ...
Cancer continues to be a leading cause of death for Latinos and all people in the US. But thanks to modern medicine, which includes cancer screenings, prevention techniques, and treatments, the number of cancer survivors is on the rise. Researchers are constantly working on new ways to mitigate and manage cancer and symptoms. However, some of these can come from unlikely places. For instance, researchers have found a link between the COVID-19 vaccine and the cancer immune system, according to a new publication in the journal Nature. Let’s go over the findings and what they mean for cancer patients.
Research Findings on COVID-19 Vaccine and Cancer
The discovery was made when researchers were developing mRNA vaccines for brain tumor patients back in ...
You can play a role in advancing patient-centered research outcomes across South Texas by joining the Creando Conexiones Virtual Forum. This virtual forum, set for 1 p.m. Central on Oct. 30, 2025, is part of the “Creando Conexiones: Cancer Health Research Agenda” project at UT Health San Antonio, which is funded by an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Expert panelists from Mays Cancer Center, UT San Antonio, Blue Faery, Hope at Heart Foundation, cancer survivors and caregivers, and more will discuss the top research priorities on cervical cancer, liver cancer, and pediatric leukemia in South Texas. Panelists will also explore the significance and vision of how this research can be conducted alongside survivors and their ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, will receive the 2025 Sedgwick Memorial Medal for Distinguished Service in Public Health from the American Public Health Association (APHA). The award recognizes Ramirez's work in public health, which spans more than 30 years, and is a powerful testament to the legacy of the late Dr. Sedgwick. Ramirez and other APHA awards will be honored Monday, Nov. 3, 2026, during APHA’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo. "We celebrate the accomplishments and commitment of [Dr. Ramirez and] these outstanding public health leaders," said Dr. Georges Benjamin, APHA leader, in a statement. "Their contributions have helped strengthen the field and provide inspiration as we ...
Gregory Aune was 16 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Aune spent a year enduring grueling treatment, losing over 70 pounds. But he survived. His experience motivated him to pursue a clinical career and help children with cancer. Today, Dr. Aune is an associate professor of pediatric hematology and oncology at the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI) of UT Health San Antonio, on a mission to find new ways to help and heal patients. That's why he helped found the Gear Up Against Kids Cancer Bike Ride — to raise awareness of childhood cancer and support the mission of the GCCRI. The inaugural Gear Up Against Kids Cancer Bike Ride took place on April 2, 2022, in Floresville, Texas. The 4th annual bike ride is set for 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on ...
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the Prevent Cancer Foundation hosted an Instagram Live on prevention and cancer screening featuring Dr. Derek Rodriguez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. On behalf of the Salud America! program, Dr. Rodriguez chatted with Kyra Meister, Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Senior Communications Manager, about the importance of preventative measures like screening and cancer survivorship. Watch on Instagram Live as the two talk about preventative health measures to better understand and detect cancer, health gaps that impact care, and cancer survivorship. Watch Now! WHAT: An Instagram live video focusing on cancer screening and survivorship WHERE: Available on the Instagram accounts of the Prevent Cancer ...
