Multicultural Conference on Breast Cancer set for Sept. 6

SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 2, 2008) — The UT Health Science Center San Antonio’s Council for Excellence in Women’s Health and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure San Antonio Affiliate present the Second Annual Multicultural Conference on Breast Cancer from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.

The event will be held at the Health Science Center’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Campus, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, in the lecture halls located next to the Dolph Briscoe Jr. Library.

Thanks to the generous support of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and the Valero Energy Corp., this conference is free to the public. Guest speakers, medical leaders and cancer survivors will address issues of breast health in a culturally sensitive manner.

The event provides a unique, creative and non-threatening forum for individuals of all backgrounds, including breast cancer survivors, community health advocates and medical professionals.

Topics will include:
o Diet, Nutrition and Fitness
o Breast Cancer in African-American, Asian, Latina, Older and Young Women
o Breast Cancer is Not a Death Sentence
o Breast Reconstruction
o Cultural Beliefs and Breast Cancer

Lunch will be provided. The day also will include panel discussions.

Reservations
While attendees may register at the door, advance registration to Komen San Antonio by phone or e-mail is strongly encouraged and
appreciated. To register to attend, call (210) 222-9009, ext. 100, or send a note to info@sakomen.net, preferably by Sept. 4. More information is available at http://www.komensanantonio.org.

The conference will begin with an introduction by event co-chairs Graciela Cigarroa and Dona Kotzur. Cigarroa is chair of the Council for Excellence in Women’s Health (Mary Henrich is co-chair). Kotzur is board president of Komen for the Cure San Antonio Affiliate.

Welcome and keynote presentation
Tyler J. Curiel, M.D., M.P.H., executive director of the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at the UT Health Science Center, will welcome the audience and introduce the keynote speaker, Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H. She will highlight the importance of cultural diversity and women’s health.

Dr. Ramirez, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Health Science Center, is the founding director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research in the School of Medicine and serves on the CTRC executive committee. In 2007, for her many contributions to women’s health, she was invited to join the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Breast cancer survivors to make presentations
In addition to sessions on the topics listed, breast cancer survivors will be recognized at a special time in the program. At least seven of the scheduled speakers are survivors.

The Multicultural Conference will provide a valuable community service — educating women about the risks of breast cancer and the importance of early detection through mammography, the clinical breast exam and breast self-awareness.

The conference will include exhibits displaying health resources available in the San Antonio/Bexar County service area.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $674 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $15.3 billion biosciences and health care sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 23,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields. For more information, visit www.uthscsa.edu.

About the Susan G. Komen for the Cure San Antonio Affiliate
Susan G. Komen for the Cure began in 1982 as a promise between Nancy G. Brinker and her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died of breast cancer at the age of 36. Komen has invested nearly $1 billion in breast cancer research and community outreach programs, becoming one of the world’s largest sources of funds fighting breast cancer. The Komen San Antonio Affiliate, founded in 1997, has contributed $8.5 million to this effort. Seventy-five percent has funded local breast cancer programs that provide vital services to the medically underserved of our community. The remaining 25 percent supports international breast cancer research through the Komen Award and Research Grant Program, which supports groundbreaking breast cancer research and scientific programs around the world. Komen San Antonio also serves as a resource for those seeking opportunities for screening and treatment, and raises awareness and educate the community about the benefits of early detection in the fight to end breast cancer.



Share This Article!