National Minority Cancer Awareness Week Luncheon
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The Center for Health Equity & Evaluation Research will celebrate its 12th annual National Minority Cancer Awareness Luncheon on Thursday, April 19, 2012 and the National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, April 15-21, 2012. CHEER's annual luncheon symposium honors scientists, community members whose work aim at reducing cancer and health disparities in minority populations. The event also feature distinguished guest speakers and experts in the areas of public health, cancer, research, and social sciences. Previous keynote speakers include U.S. Surgeon Generals, Drs. David Satcher and Joycelyn Elders; former Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Dr. Eduardo Sanchez; President and Chancellor of the University of Houston, Dr. Renu Khator, and Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs of The University of Texas System and the former President of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Dr. Kenneth Shine, and Drs. William Jenkins and Stephen Klineberg.
More information about this event is forthcoming.
History of National Minority Cancer Awareness Week
In 1986, Lovell A. Jones, Ph.D., approached Senator Lloyd Bentsen and Representative Mervyn Dymally to support a joint resolution to designate the full third week in April as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week. On April 8, 1987, the U.S. House of Representatives' Joint Resolution 119 designated the full third week in April as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week. As explained in the Congressional Record, Resolution 119 drew attention to "an unfortunate, but extremely important fact about cancer. While cancer affects men and women of every age, race, ethnic background and economic class, the disease has a disproportionately severe impact on minorities and the economically disadvantaged."
As the first Congressionally mandated minority health research center outside of the federal government, CHEER has taken the leading role in addressing this issue. National Minority Cancer Awareness Week promotes increased awareness of prevention and treatment among those populations at greater risk of developing cancer. The week's emphasis gives health care professionals and researchers an opportunity to focus on high-risk populations. The goal is to develop creative approaches to address the needs in these unique communities.