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The series was developed to deliver information to patients who would otherwise not have access to current information on breast cancer treatments.

By Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, University Communications
October 6, 2008

Vida means life in Spanish, and it is the name for the breast cancer health educational series offered to patients, their families and primary care providers via simultaneous statewide teleconferencing in both English and Spanish.

The ¡VIDA! Breast Cancer Educational series is teleconferenced to six locations in Arizona and is presented by the Arizona Cancer Center and The University of Arizona Telemedicine Program, supported by a grant from the national office of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The teleconference sites include the Southeast Arizona Medical Center in Douglas, the Mariposa Community Health Center in Nogales, the Payson Regional Medical Center in Payson, St. Elizabeth's Health Center in Tucson, the Peter and Paula Fasseas Cancer Clinic in Tucson and the Yuma Center for Border Health, Inc. in Yuma.

The principal investigator of this educational and outreach research effort is Dr. Ana María López, associate dean for outreach and multicultural affairs in the UA College of Medicine, associate professor of clinical medicine and pathology and medical director of the Arizona Telemedicine Program.

"This project is based on our previous work with breast cancer survivors who expressed that what they wanted and needed most was access to good information about their disease," López said. "Better information for patients and providers will hopefully result in better health care outcomes."  

The overall goal of the project is to use telecommunications technology to bring cancer experts to communities to discuss topics critical to breast cancer survivors and their families.

Series dates and topics are as follows:

• Oct. 7: Lymphedema prevention and treatment
• Nov. 4: Stress reduction strategies (reiki, yoga, massage)
• Jan. 6: Coping skills and coping with the fear of recurrence
• Feb. 3: Pain and neuropathy after breast cancer treatment
• March 3: Physical activity and breast cancer
• April 7: Communicating with your health care provider
• May 5: Memory loss and difficulty concentrating after breast cancer

"The topic of lymphedema is the educational focus for October, National Breast Cancer Month. Although not as prevalent a syndrome today, lymphedema remains a chronic problem for many breast cancer survivors. Like all of our sessions, the goal is to bring useful clinical information to the patient and her primary care provider in order to facilitate care," López said.

This educational series was developed in collaboration with six community sites to bring the program and its information to patients and providers who would otherwise not have access to state-of-the-art information on breast cancer treatment, symptom management and survivorship.

"A community partnership group worked collaboratively to select the topics for breast cancer survivors and includes alternative stress reduction strategies, physical activity, hereditary factors, long-term effects of treatment and diet and nutrition," said Bettina Hofacre, the program's senior coordinator. "In addition, all sessions are delivered in a culturally and linguistically competent manner."

The series is supported by a grant from the national Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. The Komen Foundation funds novel efforts that will aid in the detection, prevention and cure of breast cancer.