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U-M Cancer Center hosts Dia de la Familia health event

--added 10/04/10

Ann Arbor, MI. -- The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center's Community Outreach Program will present Dia de la Familia Latina, on Sunday, Oct. 10, a free event aimed at raising awareness of cancer and other health issues among Latinos.

This informational event - which takes place during National Hispanic Heritage Month - will include health screenings, workshops, and onsite local community agencies and organizations that serve Hispanics and Latinos.

"Cancer is taking a disproportionate toll on several minority communities, and there are disproportionate rates of cancer, diabetes and heart disease among Hispanics and Latinos," says Aisha Langford, MPH, minority outreach coordinator at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Among Hispanics, for example, women are 2.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.

The free health screenings that will be offered at the event including blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and glaucomacould save lives, Langford says.

Event information

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 500,000 deaths each year. Education, health screenings and general awareness of cancer-related topics enable people to take the appropriate actions and steps needed to prevent such a devastating group of diseases, Langford says.

For more information about this event please, contact Aisha Langford, M.P.H. at 734-998-7073 or alangfor@umich.edu.

Written by Nicole Fawcett

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