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July 22, 2003

Spanish-speaking cancer patients and their families and friends can attend a free workshop to learn more about how to deal with cancer.

The Wellness Community, the Women's Cancer Resource Center and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center's Cancer Program are sponsoring their fifth Educational Workshop for Latinos. The workshop will be presented in Spanish and will provide information on the emotional impact of cancer, explain what a clinical trial is and describe the importance of nutrition. It is scheduled for Saturday July 26, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, 2500 Alhambra Ave. Building 1 Conference Room in Martinez. Registration is required. (For more information and registration call Millie Prieto-Ruiz at 510-601-4040 x110 or Blanca Crovetto-Avancena at 925-933-0249)

"The diagnosis of cancer can be stressful and confusing, and the limited information available in Spanish can be overwhelming," said Marianne Bunce, Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist with CCRMC.

According to Bunce, the workshop will provide an opportunity for individuals to learn more about cancer prevention and resources available both locally and nationally.

"A cancer diagnosis can cause fear in patients and their families. Education is the first step toward conquering fear. That is why we are presenting this workshop," Bunce added, "We want to break through the taboos found in the Latino community. We want Latino families to understand that cancer is a disease for which there is hope."

Bunce said the advancement in treatment and diagnosis has improved the chances of combating cancer and increased the quality of life for cancer patients.

The three East Bay agencies have teamed up to provide ongoing educational programs on cancer for the Latino community in Contra Costa.

Information on cancer support groups is available online by visiting the Regional Medical Center's web site at http://www.cchealth.org.

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