Susan G. Komen To Participate At 2013 National Council Of La Raza Annual Conference

USA - English

• Latin America - español

DALLAS, July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its expanding multicultural breast cancer initiative, Susan G. Komen will host its first workshop at the 2013 National Council of La Raza Annual Conference. Entitled, "Empowering Latinas with Resources and Education to Take Action against Breast Cancer," the workshop will take place on Monday, July 22 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The session will feature discussions by Dr. Ellen Zakris, Chief of Radiation Oncology at Touro Infirmary; Sonia Munguia, a seven-year breast cancer survivor; Lori Barthelemy; Secretary of the Board of the Directors for the New Orleans Affiliate of Susan G. Komen; and Dr. Karen Peterson, PhD., Vice President of Programs at the Prevent Cancer Foundation, a Komen grantee.  New Orleans radio and TV personality Soraya Acosta will serve as the morning workshop's moderator. 

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Hispanic women in the U.S. The goal of the workshop is to address this fact by educating women about their breast health.

Topics to be covered in this session include:

• Causes of breast cancer disparities among Latino women
• Cultural barriers that impact diagnosis and treatment
• Breast cancer warning signs and the importance of screenings
• Steps Latino women can take to reduce their risk
• Life as a survivor
• Komen's impact in the Latino community

"We are very excited to be a part of the National Council of La Raza's annual conference," said Rhasheda Boyd, Director of Marketing for Susan G. Komen. "Komen has been committed to providing education and resources to the Latino community for many years to help reduce the risk factors of breast cancer."

In addition to the workshop, Komen will have a presence throughout the four-day conference at the health-themed pavilion of the National Latino Family Expo.® The Expo is a free event for everyone in the community that will offer educational experiences, games, prizes, live entertainment, product samples, health screenings and more.

Komen's presence at the conference augments its current work in the Hispanic community. To date, Komen has invested more than $91 million to Latina-focused community programs and scientific research, including an $8 million research grant aimed at understanding genetics, societal and other issues affecting breast cancer incidence and mortality in Latinas.  In 2011, Komen launched an outreach initiative focusing on the Latina population called Lazos Que Perduran (Bonds That Last). The initiative is designed to reduce late-stage breast cancer diagnosis among Latinas. The goal is to empower young Latinas with life-saving breast cancer education, so they can learn their risk, get screened, know what is normal for them and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Internationally, Komen has been working in Central and South America since 2007.  Programs in such countries as Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama focus on increasing breast cancer awareness and education at the community level. In partnership with The Caterpillar Foundation, Komen is sponsoring community projects focused on increasing breast cancer awareness with the goal of increasing access to preventive services and reducing mortality rates in Brazil, Mexico and Panama. Caterpillar has committed $5 million over 5 years to increase local capacity in the region. 

About Susan G. Komen®
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Suzy, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, Susan G. Komen® works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world by investing more than $755 million in breast cancer research and $1.5 billion in community outreach programs over the past 30 years; providing funding to help low-income and uninsured women get screened and get treatment; advocating for cancer research and outreach programs; and working globally in more than 30 countries. Visit komen.org. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the National Council of La Raza
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations, NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.  To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas—assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.

SOURCE Susan G. Komen