VIDEO: Why Should Hispanics Get Screened for Colon Cancer?



In honor of Hispanic Heritage month (Sept. 19-Oct. 15), the Colon Cancer Alliance has created a 30-second public service announcement video in English and Spanish that emphasizes talking to your family about your family health history and getting a screening test for colon cancer. Hispanics often are diagnosed with a later stage of cancer, when the disease can be harder to treat. Colon cancer is one of the few cancers you can catch before it turns into cancer through the detection of precancerous polyps. The Colon Cancer Alliance is a non-profit that works to increase colon cancer awareness and screening test rates. Visit their Spanish website at ...

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WATCH: Webinars Tackle Latino Child Fitness, Nutrition & More



The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and PreventObesity.net have teamed up for a webinar series on Latino obesity issues. Register here for the third webinar, “Physical Activity in Communities and Schools: The Impact on Latino Childhood Obesity,” at 2 p.m. EST Sept. 14, 2011. You can also watch recordings of the first webinar, “Nutrition in Communities and Schools: What is at Stake for Latino Children,” and second webinar, “Food Marketing and the Consequences for Latino Children and Youth.” Please also check out this toolkit, "How Advocates Can Fight Junk Food Marketing to Kids," in English and Spanish from the Berkeley Media Studies Group. The group also has accompanying videos in ...

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Video Series Documents Challenges Latino Communities Face When it Comes to Healthy Eating



Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series that will highlight the work the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supports in Latino communities across the country. SaludTodayGuest Blogger: John Govea Childhood obesity and child hunger both plague the U.S. Latino community. Today, nearly 40% of our nation’s Latino children are overweight or obese. Latino children also account for about 40% of the one million children in this country who are living with hunger. Through its video project, Comer bien: The Challenges of Nourishing Latino Children and Families, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) sheds light on these problems and the need for far-reaching solutions to help families and children eat well. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the project features ...

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Cancer Survivors Help Test Which Exercise is Best to Reduce Recurrence



In response to rising obesity and breast cancer mortality rates, a new local study is testing how different types of exercise—like yoga—best improve cancer survivors’ fitness, quality of life and molecular indicators of future cancer risk. The project, Improving Mind and Physical ACTivity (IMPACT), is led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Over the yearlong IMPACT study, 90 breast cancer survivors will be randomized to participate at least three times a week in: 1) a comprehensive exercise “prescription” featuring an individualized aerobic, strength-training and flexibility program; 2) a yoga exercise program; or 3) general exercise chosen at will. Study recruitment is underway. For eligibility, call ...

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Check Out the Latest in Latino Cancer Survival, Exercise, Obesity, Videos &More



Check out the latest in health disparities—from new efforts by promotoras to help Latino cancer patients to a new study to see what type of exercise best prevents breast cancer recurrence—in the latest E-newsletter from the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. View the IHPR E-newsletter to see: Story and Video: Promotoras Help Latino Cancer Patients (Pg 1) Story: IHPR Staffer Learns ‘True Meaning of Despair’ in Brazil (Pg 2) Story: Exito! Program Trains Latino Doctoral Hopefuls (Pg 4) Story and Video: Local Cancer Survivors Help Test Which Exercise is Best (Pg 5) Story and Videos: Addressing Texas’ Latino Obesity Epidemic (Pg 6) Story: Like Mother, Like Daughter: Rodriguez Duo ...

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‘Exito!’ Welcomes First Class of Latino Doctoral Hopefuls



As she wraps up her master’s degree at the University of South Florida, Mariana Arevalo already has worked on projects to improve health care access for the underserved. But that early experience is driving Arevalo to do more. So Arevalo and 16 other master’s-level students or health professionals joined the Institute for Health Promotion Research’s first-ever Summer Institute of Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training on June 2-6, 2011, in San Antonio. Èxito! encourages participants to pursue a doctoral degree and careers studying how disease—especially cancer—affects Latinos differently. "Èxito! gave me the resources that I needed to pursue my goal—motivation and pathways," Arevalo said. "I came in with doubts about my ability to have both. Now I’m ...

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Why Should Latinos Consider Joining a Cancer Clinical Trial?



Watch Dr. Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, talk about why Latinos should consider participating in a cancer clinical trial. The video is in Spanish: Learn more about Latino cancer here. You can also join Dr. Ramirez' Redes En Acción network, a National Cancer Institute initiative to combat cancer among ...

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VIDEO: Telenovela Spins Plot Twists on Hispanic Obesity, Diabetes



Skipping the perhaps familiar soap opera themes of betrayal and love spats, a telenovela from the Colorado Health Foundation spins plot twists and cliffhangers on Hispanics and obesity and diabetes. The foundation's first telenovela in 2009, "Encrucijada: Sin Salud No Hay Nada," or "Crossroads: Without Health, There Is Nothing," which focused on Latino healths issues and informed about health services provided by the state, was successful, drawing 35,000 households one night, Fox News Latino reports. Taping on a sequel, "Encrucijada 2," is expected to start filming this fall in Los Angeles. In the mean time, learn more about the first telenovela here or ...

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New Spanish Website Offers Cancer Info, Resources



The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has launched a new website with increased access to resources and materials in Spanish. Free education materials in English and Spanish can be read and downloaded or ordered from the website. This includes the easy-to-read, bilingual resource called, Knowing All Your Treatment Options/Conozca todas sus opciones de tratamiento. This booklet guides patients to discuss all treatment options with their doctors and explains clinical trials and informed consent in basic language. Also on the website is information about financial programs, links to LLS’ new and archived telephone/web education programs, LLS national and chapter support services and printable question guides about treatment and clinical trials that patients can take with them to ...

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