Providing Latino Families with Information and Skills in Coping with Cancer and Caregiving Un Abrazo Para La Familia Lorena Verdugo Community Health Advisor Catherine Marshall, PhD, Francisco A. R. García, MD, MPH

Recruit families in need of support and teach them how to cope with the effects of cancer Design community-based interventions for families experiencing cancer-related stress. Objectives

10 low-income families interviewed 7 families had a family member with breast cancer 8 out 10 families were Hispanic Background Pilot Research

Families struggled with: Skills necessary to cope with Cancer Dealing with the survivor’s depression Financial help Family stress Pilot Results

Un Abrazo Para la Familia

Recruitment Display Board Program Flyer Health Fairs Schools Parent Groups Churches Cancer Clinics Contact forms Portable Display Board

Next Step Developed Intervention Curriculum

Program Description 3 Classes (English or Spanish) Designed for individual families Classes held at a place and time convenient to each family.

Skills with coping and caregiving Understanding Depression Problems Solving Breast Cancer Risk Information Emotional Support Content of 3 Hour Class

Served 61 families 99% Hispanic 3 Males Results- Year 1

Results-Year 2 People Served So Far 61 Families 100% Hispanic 100% Female December 1 st, 2011

Two, 1 hour and 30 min sessions is better for families Contact families before each session 3 Families per session. Lessons Learned

What Participants Say “I learned how to use my knowledge to face this situation” “Very important work, one tends to ignore lots of things that we really need to face, you helped us” “Very happy about these classes, very important for the community”

Thank You! Catherine Marshall, Ph.D. Lorena Verdugo, Community Health Advisor