Programs Honor Black History Month

All people touched by blood cancer, and in honor of Black History Month, I'm shining the spotlight on some special programs specifically designed to reach the African American community.

In Memphis, the Mid-South Branch of the Gateway Chapter has partnered with the Church Health Center and the Church Health Center Wellness, which helps provide health services to uninsured, underinsured, low income and low literacy African Americans. The chapter is also partnering with several local African American churches as well.

This month the chapter partnered with a local church to address living with blood cancer or other types of cancer diagnoses when co-diagnosed with other health issues that impact the African American community at higher rates including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.

Throughout March the chapter will be working with CHC and CHC Wellness to host several "health promoter" classes for African Americans. The program will focus on proper nutrition and how it relates to blood cancer and chronic illness, community and mental health resources to deal with these diagnoses, and other topics of interest.

The chapter is also partnering with the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society to host a "Body & Soul" training on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention and maintenance.

"The educational programs we provide are critical because they help patients learn to stay as healthy as possible so they can have the best quality of life possible with their cancer diagnosis," said Patient Services Manager Shuna Mason. "The response from the community to LLS's commitment to the African American population has been extremely positive."