SAN ANTONIO (Nov. 2, 2015) — Young patients and survivors age 14 and up, along with their parents and siblings, are invited to the Childhood Cancer & Blood Disorders College and Career Fair this weekend.
The event is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the UTSA Downtown Campus, Buena Vista Building, 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. Parking and admission are free.
Attendees can visit information booths, hear presentations and attend a panel with patients sharing their experiences. Topics of the presentations include career assessments, disability services, financial aid, admissions and scholarships.
The fair is organized and supported by UT Kids San Antonio, The University of Texas at San Antonio, the American Cancer Society and the University Health System.
Rocio V. Garcia, Ph.D., a psychologist with UT Kids San Antonio, said a career and college fair is needed for this special group of young people. UT Kids San Antonio is the pediatric practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio and services are offered in a partnership with the University Health System.
“Their lives have been interrupted by their cancer diagnosis and treatment, which can last several months to several years,” she said. “They often put their future goals on hold because they are concentrating on their treatment and on fighting for their lives.”
Dr. Garcia said a cancer diagnosis, as well as a diagnosis of a hematologic disease such as sickle-cell anemia or hemophilia, can have a significant effect on the child’s psychosocial wellbeing. “In our survivorship clinic, we have current patients telling us that they don’t know how or where to begin planning for their next step in education. Others are unsure what careers they want to pursue.”
The goal of this fair is to give high-school age and young adults options on what they can do next, she said. “There are so many options for them. Some may want to go to four-year colleges. Others might want to attend technical or vocation schools. They need to know that they can qualify for various services that could help them in school or in finding a career.”
These cancer and blood disorders patients and survivors need to be informed so they can make an educated decision on what path they want to take in their lives, Dr. Garcia said.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the fair by contacting Marisol Fernandez at 210-567-7477 or 7480 or fernandezmv@uthscsa.edu.
UT Kids San Antonio is the academic pediatric practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. With almost 100 pediatric physicians and surgeons – all faculty members of the Health Science Center’s School of Medicine – UT Kids™ San Antonio is the most experienced pediatric practice in Central and South Texas offering top-tier expertise in numerous medical specialties and subspecialties. Most major health plans are accepted. To find the pediatric specialist you need, visit UTKids.org.
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The Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is one of the elite academic cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designated Cancer Center, and is one of only four in Texas. A leader in developing new drugs to treat cancer, the CTRC Institute for Drug Development (IDD) conducts one of the largest oncology Phase I clinical drug programs in the world, and participates in development of cancer drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. For more information, visit www.ctrc.net.