Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio and a leading health disparities researcher, has been selected for the 2022 AAHHE Outstanding Support of Hispanic Issues Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and support of the mission of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Inc. (AAHHE). AAHHE is an agent of change for improving education and enabling Latino students to fully participate in a diverse society. The organization works collaboratively with all sectors — education, business, industry, community and professional organizations — to meet the educational aspirations of a significantly increasing Latino population. Ramirez will receive the award at the 2022 AAHHE ...
Cancer and Alzheimer’s hurt many of our abuelos, moms, dads, and others we love. Clinical trials help us fight for our familia. Clinical trials are studies that help researchers learn more to help slow, manage, and treat Alzheimer’s and cancer for current and future family members. But without Latino volunteers for clinical trials, the benefits may miss this group. Visit our clinical trials page to find a clinical trial, read about hero volunteers, and more! Share your story with us! “Latinos in clinical trials are not only helping themselves, but they’re also building a future with better treatments that can help their families in the future,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and Salud America! at UT Health San ...
Dr. Benjamín Aceves wasn’t sure if he wanted to pursue a PhD. He was hesitant about the commitment. He didn’t have a background in academia that many pursuing PhD programs do. But after attending the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training at UT Health San Antonio, Aceves grew his network of scholars and learned about resources that could help him succeed in a PhD program. “My experience at Éxito! was mind-opening for sure,” Aceves said. He went on to earn his PhD and now is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California in San Francisco, where he researches the intersection of Latino health, chronic disease prevention, and the social determinants of health.
Learning About Éxito!
Aceves learned about Éxito! from his peers, who encouraged him to ...
The patient economic burden for cancer in the U.S. was $21.09 billion, according to the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer in JNCI: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. “[This total is] made up of patient out-of-pocket costs of $16.22 billion and patient time costs of $4.87 billion,” according to the annual report. As technology, cancer research, and medicine advances, the effectiveness of therapy treatments only seem to proliferate. Though this is good news, the reality is that modern cancer treatments are a financial burden to people of color, who also face barriers to equitable cancer care. Latinos in particular face obstacles such as poor health literacy, concerns about test efficacy, and language and cultural beliefs related to cancer, ...
Dr. Mirella Díaz-Santos has a personal fight to end Alzheimer’s Disease. Her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when Díaz-Santos was in school. “I needed to know more about how this ‘disease’ can change someone who you love so much. How can it change it completely?” Díaz-Santos said. Díaz-Santos is an assistant professor in residence at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in the department of neurology and psychiatry. She’s also the director of research of the Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and is involved with the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s within the Latino community. Although she’s experienced bias and discrimination ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio and a leading health disparities researcher, will serve as the 2021-2022 chair of the the Women in Cancer Research Council of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The council organizes the activities of the members of the Women in Cancer Research group. This includes fostering career development, recognizing scientific achievements, and advising AACR leadership. Ramirez is currently serving a three-year term on the council through December 2022. "It is a great honor to serve as Chair of the Women in Cancer Research (WICR) Council for the 2021-2022 term. Despite the challenges we have seen during the pandemic, I am proud to say women in science are still making strides and progressing in the ...
Cancer can affect anyone. But Latinos experience higher rates of infection-related cancers, ones that are preventable, than their white peers, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS). In fact, Latinos suffer two times higher rates of liver and stomach cancers—infection-related but preventable cancers—than their white peers. “Addressing this critical gap for Hispanic individuals in obtaining access to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment is going to be essential for mitigating the predicted growth in the cancer burden,” wrote Kimberly Miller, an ACS scientist, in the report. “In addition, more research is needed to assess not only the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of cancer care, but also the impact ...
Like many Latino students, Donají Stelzig was unsure if she should pursue a PhD. She was intimated by the barriers and didn’t think she was capable of doing it, especially since she already had a full-time job and family. But after attending the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training at UT Health San Antonio, the researchers and scholars she met encouraged her to apply and followed up with her even when she was doubtful. Now, Stelzig has a doctoral degree and is a visiting assistant professor and lecturer at the University of Houston, where she also directs the Community Health Worker Training Center at the Honors College. She’s grateful for the Éxito! experience and how it helped her build a network to succeed throughout her career.
Learning About ...
Jeraldine Ortiz knows that breast cancer is tough for Latinas. Breast cancer is the top cause of Latina death. This stems from cultural barriers to care, low screening rates, and low participation in clinical trials studies trying to find better treatments. This is why Ortiz, when diagnosed with breast cancer, volunteered for a clinical trial. Today, after more than 15 years as a cancer survivor, Ortiz said she strongly believes her participation in a clinical trial at UT Health San Antonio helped her get better treatment and better quality of life in her post-cancer journey. “Clinical trials give the opportunity to better treatment for all populations," Ortiz said. "We have a better future."
Ortiz Chooses a Breast Cancer Clinical Trial
In 2006, Ortiz was diagnosed with ...