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Teaming up with the
Latino Community in the
Battle Against Breast
Cancer
Breast cancer can be
catastrophic for a woman
who lacks family and
social support, speaks
little or no English,
has limited economic
means, and no health
insurance. For many
Latinas recently arrived
in the country with
limited English
proficiency, or simply
emotionally overwhelmed,
it is extremely
difficult to fight the
health care system alone.
In addition, due to low
health literacy levels,
Latinas are isolated
from information.
Cultural health beliefs
contribute to fatalistic
beliefs about the
disease, leading to
depression.
In 1996, to address the
lack of culturally
sensitive cancer support
services for Latinas, a
group of health
professionals and
survivors founded Nueva
Vida. Under the
sponsorship of two
health institutions, the
first Spanish-language
support group for
Latinas with breast
cancer was opened. |
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Main Stage at
the 2008 Komen
National Race
for the Cure:
Photo by Katie
Garlock |
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In 2000, thanks to a
community-based grant
from the Susan G. Komen
National Race for the
Cure®, Nueva Vida became
the first independent
consumer-led, community-based,
non-profit organization
supporting Latinas with
breast cancer in the
Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area.
With the input of
survivors, health
professionals and
researchers, Nueva Vida
developed programs
addressing access to
care and psychosocial
aspects of breast cancer
survivorship, and making
it possible for staff
and clients to choose
among support
intervention options
while providing
navigation and case
management services. All
services are free of
charge and co-facilitated
by Latina mental heath
professionals and
survivors.
“We recognized the
critical need for a
comprehensive support
model relevant to the
complex needs of a
mostly recently arrived
immigrant community,
addressing mental health
and access to care,”
says Larisa Caicedo,
executive director of
Nueva Vida.
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Survivor
participation in
Nueva Vida has
always been
important to the
success of the
programs. Staff
and survivors
join the Komen
National Race
for the Cure
every year.
Photo Courtesy
of Nueva Vida. |
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“By offering a
culturally
sensitive
environment and
empowering women
to learn the U.S.
system through a
bilingual/bicultural
team, we enhance
quality of life
of Latinas with
breast cancer
and help improve
the health of
this community.”
A “navigator” at
Nueva Vida works
to find services,
solve issues and
fulfill the
needs of these
women case by
case throughout
their cancer
continuum.
“To tell the
truth, if they
didn’t exist, I
do not know what
I would have
done!!! I didn’t
know what to do.
They gave me
information,
they took the
time necessary
to go and
discuss my case
with doctors, to
look after and
advocate for my
rights, helped
me find
treatment when
others closed
their doors to
me because I
didn’t have
insurance, they
gave me support
and advice
during my
treatment and
they accompanied
me when I
visited my
doctor to make
sure I
understood what
he was saying…
really, Nueva
Vida has been
the best that
has happened to
me in my cancer
experience.”
Laura Joya,
Survivor
During support
groups and
stress reduction
activities,
women have the
opportunity to
share their
feelings with
others facing
similar
circumstances.
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Mental health
professionals
are always on
call for women
with advanced
disease or going
through an
emotional
crisis. Nueva
Vida also uses
its “compañeras
de apoyo”
training program
to train
survivors as
peer counselors.
After an
evaluation,
mental health
professionals
match newly
diagnosed women
with trained
counselors with
similar
backgrounds:
same country,
diagnosis and
personal
situation. Peer
counselors and
the women
assigned to them
are closely
supervised and
evaluated for
progress.
“It has been
very important
for me to meet
Ana Quijada my
peer counselor.
She had to go
through the same,
she is very
human, and she
is always by my
side when I need
her. She gives
me advice and
support when I
am in doubt…she
has been like my
guardian angel…The
talks, the
exercises make
me feel relaxed.
When they told
me the
diagnosis, it
was a very hard
moment for me
and in that
moment NV
provided me with
individual
therapy through
a professional
counselor.
Before this I
was very scared,
I didn’t want to
talk to anyone
and she gave me
support,
confidence and
has accompanied
through the
entire cancer
process and has
provided me
security.”
Andrea Argueta,
Survivor
Today, with
contributions
from two Komen
grants, Nueva
Vida provides
access to
screening and
diagnostic
services to over
320 Latinas,
support services
to 70 newly
diagnosed women,
referrals for
1000 plus other
and education
through an
Information
Center to
encourage
informed
decision making.
Nueva Vida’s
mission is to
inform, support
and empower
Latinas whose
lives are
affected by
cancer and to
advocate for and
facilitate
timely access to
state-of-the-art
cancer care for
all Latinas.
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Kids Race:
Children running
in the Kids Race
for the Cure.
Photo by Alex
Cooke |
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By Larisa Caicedo |
