Salud Talks Podcast Episode 47: Saving Seats at the Table with the Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program

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Cancer is a rising health threat for all people. 

Latinos have a heavy cancer burden due to non-medical drivers, such as a lack of reliable transportation, housing, and food, to challenges with getting screening and care. 

Also, too few Latinos are able to push for fair cancer research.  

That’s where the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program comes into play. 

Since 2024, the program has turned cancer survivors into patient leaders who are sitting on committees, helping with drug development, and creating materials to help Latinos. 

The Salud Talks podcast caught up with some of the former trainees who are putting what they learned into practice. 

Podcast host Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio, discussed the program with trainingprogram co-leader, Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez, training graduates-turned-mentors, Marielle Santos McLeod and Andrea Suarez Vargas, and Leah Eshraghi, who is the Principal Advocacy and Alliances Director at Exact Sciences (is now Abbott), a training program sponsor. 

LISTEN!

WHAT: A special #SaludTalks Podcast discussion about the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program 

WHERE: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms where you get your podcasts! 

WHEN: The podcast is available as of April 20 

WHO: 

• Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez, Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, co-leader of the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Program, and a two-time breast cancer survivor 

• Marielle Santos McLeod, colorectal cancer survivor and cancer patient advocate  

• Andrea Suarez Vargas, colon cancer survivor, cancer patient advocate, and founder of ASV – Patient-Centric Solutions  

• Leah Eshraghi, Principal Advocacy and Alliances Director at Exact Sciences (is now Abbott) 

In this episode, we explore topics such as: 

• How the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program got started. 

• How the program helps Latino cancer survivors elevate the patient’s voice and gives them agency to speak up for research needs. 

• Opportunities that arose because of the training program. 

• How program sponsors continue to support trainees following the program. 

Learn more about the first-ever Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program. 

Learn more about the second Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program. 

Learn more about Exact Sciences (is now Abbott) 

Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded while the acquisition of Exact Sciences by Abbott was still pending. Since then, the transaction has been completed, and Exact Sciences is now part of Abbott.