Liz Sanchez: Surviving Breast Cancer on Her Own Terms


Liz Sanchez - san antonio breast cancer survivor

By Liz Sanchez Breast Cancer Survivor in San Antonio My name Liz Sanchez and I am a cancer survivor — twice, since 2010. I was first diagnosed with breast cancer on December 16, 2010, at the age of 39. It was approximately one week before Christmas. So as you can imagine, my holidays were ruined for me. My OB/GYN sent me for my first mammogram and this is how it was discovered. My doctor moved quickly by setting me up with an oncologist and surgeon. I was diagnosed at stage 2. My BRCA test was negative and my family did not have a history of breast cancer. My grandfather’s sister passed of stage 4 breast cancer, but it skipped a generation. I had my tumor removed surgically on Jan. 11, 2011. I then underwent radiation therapy only. I refused to have chemo. Being ...

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Child Opportunity Index Highlights Inequities for Latino Kids



A new interactive mapping tool from diversitydatakids.org allows you to see what opportunities are available to children based on different neighborhoods. “The Child Opportunity Index measures and maps the conditions children need: safe housing, good schools, access to healthy food, green spaces and clean air, among others,” according to diversitydatakids.org. The mapping tool highlights the social and health inequities for Latino children and other children of color. “These conditions are not equitably available to all children in the U.S. Black, Hispanic and Indigenous children disproportionately live in neighborhoods that do not provide all the conditions children need to be healthy and grow into their full potential,” according to diversitydatakids.org. By ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez: Answering the Big Questions on COVID-19 Vaccines


Dr. Amelie Ramirez san antonio women's hall of fame

Latinos are getting vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine at much lower rates. Why is this? How can we build vaccine confidence? Dr. Amelie Ramirez and her team at Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio are working hard to promote vaccine confidence and answer Latinos' big questions about the vaccine. Ramirez is doing this in a variety of ways: Creating the Salud America! Latino COVID-19 Vaccine “Change of Heart” Bilingual Storytelling Campaign to share real Latinos who moved from vaccine hesitancy to vaccine confidence. Producing Salud America!'s weekly updated post on U.S. Latino vaccination rates, ways to improve confidence, and how to overcome vaccine misinformation. Joining the Latino USA podcast to answer Latinos' COVID-19 vaccine questions. Providing a ...

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Healthy Vision Month: Keeping an Eye on Health Equity for Latinos


NEI healthy vision month eye health equity for latinos

May is Healthy Vision Month! The National Eye Institute (NEI) has theme for Healthy Vision Month: "Eye on Health Equity." This is important because people of color, like Latinos, face barriers to eye health care. "NEI is putting a spotlight on the importance of increasing diversity in the eye health field — and how that can help everyone have an equal chance for healthy vision," according to the agency. Here are six ways to promote health equity and healthy vision. 1. Share Testimonials from Diverse Eye Health Professionals NEI spoke with professionals about how increasing diversity and representation can improve eye health outcomes and promote health equity. Read their testimonials and share them with your network! 2. Meet the Organizations that Bring Healthy Vision ...

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Virtual Town Hall: Minority Health, Community Leaders Fight COVID Together


Virtual Town Hall Minority Health, Community Leaders Fight COVID Together faces

COVID-19 has a disparate impact on people of color. Latinos, for example, suffer higher case and death rates than their White peers. At the same time, Latinos are getting vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine at much lower rates. This is the focus of a Facebook Live town hall, "Making It Plain — Minority Health Professionals and Community Organizations Fight COVID Together," set for 7-8:45 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Update 4/29/21: In case you missed it, watch the video here. Panelists include: Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH, is Director of the Salud America! program and its multi-level efforts to promote action and information about COVID-19 and Latinos, Professor and Chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences, and Director of the Institute for Health ...

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Maegan Molnar: Breast Cancer Changes You, and That’s OK


Maegan Molnar breast cancer survivor main art

By Maegan Molnar Breast Cancer Survivor in San Antonio I was only 26 years old when I was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer. My world flipped upside down when I came across a lump during my very first breast exam just three weeks before my wedding. I had nine rounds of IV chemo before we realized it wasn’t working. I then had to stop treatment, have a lumpectomy, and then completely restart a different IV chemo regimen. I then had a double mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction followed up 9 rounds of an oral chemo therapy. To say I was exhausted when it was over would be a complete understatement. To say I was naive when I thought it was over would be completely accurate. This May will be 5 years since my diagnosis. I cannot imagine trying to add up the ...

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New Bilingual Materials Aim to Boost Cultural Competence


doctor latina latino cultural comptence with phone looking at bilingual materials

Cultural competence is the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from cultures or belief systems different from one's own. This is often lacking in health care. Latinos, for example, experience discrimination and implicit bias in the doctor’s office, and face a systemic lack access of social support. That's why we are excited to share new bilingual materials from various agencies the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) aiming to improve cultural competence and equitable access to care. "Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health and healthcare is one way to improve the quality of services provided to all individuals, which will ultimately help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity," ...

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Texting and Other Innovative Ways to Increase Latino Cancer Screening


latina hispanic breast cancer screening mammogram doctor patient

Latinos face some serious cancer health disparities. They are so serious that many health experts recommend cancer screening, a type of test that looks for signs of different cancers early, before the illness can cause serious harm. “Screening tests can help find cancer at an early stage, before symptoms appear,” experts at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). “Early detection is important because when abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread and be harder to treat.” What is Cancer Screening? Cancer screening is a series of exams, most of the time recommended by a physician or begun at a certain age, to explore the body for any signs of cancer. According to NCI, types of screening ...

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Expanding Broadband Access Could Address the Latino Digital Divide



About 19 million Americans lack access to broadband services, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Of those 19 million, the majority are in low-income and rural communities and communities of color. This “digital divide” is problematic, especially as students and families have needed to rely on the internet for online learning and telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, businesses and the federal government are stepping up to help these areas by expanding broadband access. In his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan, President Joe Biden proposed expanding broadband services to low income, rural areas. Comcast also recently announced their decision to invest in low-income areas to close the digital divide. Together, initiatives like ...

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