Latinos United for Cancer Health Advancement
Our Latinos United for Cancer Health Advancement (LUCHA) strives to move our Latino community from cancer health disparities to health equity, which will be accomplished through community outreach, robust representation in clinical trials, and education about the importance of preventative cancer screenings and healthy lifestyles.
The initiative has goals to increase Latino participation in cancer preventative screenings and clinical trials. Latinos are currently underrepresented in clinical trials, leaving them behind in the fight against cancer. This initiative aims to increase knowledge and awareness about cancer prevention among Latino populations in California while increasing their participation in early detection screenings and clinical trials. The initiative will conduct outreach in the community by participating in local health fairs, church and other community events. In addition to raising awareness about cancer prevention, the LUCHA Initiative will conduct a population assessment to better understand the impact of cancer on Latinos in California and how to best treat these conditions.
The LUCHA Initiative is a program run by Luis Carvajal-Carmona Ph.D., a genomics researcher and Professor & Auburn Community Cancer Endowed Chair in Basic Science, Associate director for Basic Science and Laura Fejerman Ph.D., a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, and co-director of the Women’s Cancer Care Program at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Community Education on Cancer Prevention and Screening
Our LUCHA initiative envisions a future free of health disparities in Latinos and offers cancer prevention and screening educational classes in English and Spanish.
Topics available:
- Cancer Screening:
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Cervical
- Lung
- Cancer Prevention: HPV vaccine
- Lifestyle changes:
- Nutrition
- Physical Activity
- Smoking
- Cancer health disparities in Latinos
- Clinical trials
To reserve a date for an education presentation, please contact the LUCHA Team.
Mission and Vision
Mission
To reduce the cancer burden in the Latino population by increasing preventative screenings, promoting the importance of healthy lifestyles, and providing equitable opportunities to reduce the incidence of cancer.
Vision
United, together against cancer
Cancer health disparities are adverse differences between certain population groups in cancer measures, such as: incidence (new cases), prevalence (all existing cases), morbidity (cancer-related health complications), mortality (deaths), survivorship and quality of life after cancer treatment, burden of cancer or related health conditions, screening rates, and stage at diagnosis.