Perhaps there’s no disease as feared and diagnosis as dreaded as that of cancer. Here are a few health resources that your Hispanic patients can turn to for information, guidance, or help dealing with a possible or actual cancer diagnosis.

They offer cancer information, patient services, and health hotlines in both English and Spanish. Best of all, these resources are free, reliable, and confidential.

Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Hotline
1-866-783-2645 (Toll-free information line)
http://www.1866sufamilia.org

Not just for cancer, this multipurpose health hotline offers support in both English and Spanish on a variety of health issues, including: navigating our confusing health care system, referrals to providors in your community, and culturally appropriated FAQ sheets on diabetes, mental health, HIV, infant mortality, immunizations, etc.

The National Cancer Institute
1-800-4-CANCER or 1-800-422-6237 (Toll-free information line)
http://www.cancer.gov

This hotline also offers support in both English and Spanish you can get information on cancer risk factors, treatment, and prevent. This organization has extremely reliable facts and figures; they compile statistics about all aspects of cancer in the U.S.

American Cancer Society
1-800-ACS-2345 (toll-free information line)
http://www.cancer.org

This 100-year-old organization provides a multitude of services including research and advocacy.  Their hotline operates 24/7 in both English and Spanish; they provide information about cancer and guidance for finding local resources.

In addition, there are many smaller Hispanic-oriented organizations that focus on a specific type of cancer or a limited geographic area:

FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered hotline
1-866-824-7475 (Toll-free information line), 1-866-288-7475 (voicemail line)
http://www.facingourrisk.org

An organization for women with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer due to a BRCA mutation, and for their loved ones. In addition to a website and hotline in both English and Spanish, callers may also be able to speak to personal counselor about difficulties dealing with this diagnosis, made widely-known recently when Angelina Jolie revealed her decision to have a bilateral masectomey after learning she has the BRCA mutation.

See also
Allaying Your Ebola Fears

Do you know of any especially fine cancer resources for Hispanics? If so, we’d love to learn about them.

Jebra Turner
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