Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Jeanette Mendez
Scottsdale, Ariz. Jeanette Mendez isn’t only a new mother. Mendez, who has 1-year-old daughter, is making contributions to clinical research at her job and proving that a Latina can enter motherhood and still pursue career goals. “When she was born it reminded me of my grandmother, who did pass away from cancer. It reminded me of the values she instilled in us, of always being strong,” Mendez said. “And when I had my little girl I was determined to continue my education because that was very valuable in my family. I was also determined to provide for her in such a way that my father ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Lizette Rangel
Houston, Texas Lizette Rangel, who grew up in a low-income Latino community, had two life choices. The easy choice: A life of gangs, early pregnancy, poverty and a daily struggle to live. The hard choice: A life of difficult study and education. Fortunately, Rangel chose the hard path, embraced a “nerd” attitude and devoted herself to studying to better her situation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Houston and interned to help implement a diabetic health education program to the community. She also earned a master’s degree in public health from The ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Helen Palomino
Brawley, Calif. Helen Palomino didn’t go straight into a doctoral degree program after earning her master’s degree in social work from San Diego State University in 2008. She had a good reason for postponing her doctoral aspirations. Palomino instead focused on helping her children achieve their college degrees while also establishing her career in the field of clinical social work. She continues to work as a medical social worker at the Cancer Resource Center of the Desert, a nonprofit organizations in California where she provides social services and resources to individuals who have been ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Cristina Valdovinos
New York, New York Cristina Valdovinos grew up watching her father work hard to provide for his family. When he was diagnosed with late-stage laryngeal carcinoma during her last term pursuing her bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University, it sparked her desire to study cancer to help those like her father. She soon interned at the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in California to investigate early-onset breast cancer and excess late-stage diagnoses in minorities, then entered a cancer control program at the University of Puerto Rico’s Comprehensive Cancer ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Diana Flores
San Mateo, Calif. Some of Diana Flores’ extended family members didn’t want her to go to college. They thought she should stick to a traditional Latina role—wife and mother—instead of “wasting” money and time on education. But Flores’ mother and father encouraged her to pursue the educational career path she was passionate about. With their support, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in public health (environmental health sciences and global health) from the University of California, Los Angeles ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Carla Rosales
Kenner, La. Carla Rosales found herself essentially on her own in a new city in New Orleans, not knowing anyone, not knowing much about the college process and little financial aid. But with her supportive parents in her native Honduras and her family’s faith and culture, she overcame many hurdles and doubts to move to New Orleans in 2006—a year after Hurricane Katrina—and reach her higher education goals. Rosales earned her bachelor’s degree and worked as a research assistant at the University of New Orleans, where she helped conduct research based on identification and characterization of ...
Editor's Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by March 15, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program. Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, based at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, will select 20 master’s-level students and master’s trained health professionals from across the nation to attend a five-day summer institute June 3-7, 2013, in San Antonio, offering tools, tips, role models and motivation to encourage participants to pursue a doctoral degree and a career studying how cancer affects Latinos differently. Internships also are available. Apply here. Why should you consider the program? Watch this video. Or listen to Steven ...
You’re invited to check out the new revamped website of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, which investigates the causes of and solutions to the unequal impact of cancer, chronic disease and obesity among Latinos in South Texas and across the nation. The website now features: Additional areas for news, research and materials
Better organization for rapid access to research
Seamless video player
Social media integration You can also now sign up to get the latest Latino health news via e-mail. “Our website aims to raise awareness of our work to improve the health of Latinos, a diverse, culturally rich population that faces a higher burden of certain diseases than other groups,” said Amelie G. Ramirez, ...
Sandra San Miguel de Majors, a research instructor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the Health Science Center at San Antonio, touted the use of community health workers—called promotores—to improve people's health at the Latina Health Policy Briefing for Promotores de Salud on Sept. 26, 2012, at the White House in Washington, D.C. The policy briefing, organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the affordable care act, united key Latino health care providers, researchers, stakeholders and promotores to discuss successful evidenced-based Latino research initiatives utilizing promotores. The briefing featured Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary. San ...
