Office of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity | |
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Join us for a special event to address prostate cancer in the African American community
Compared to non-Hispanic white men, Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.1 times more likely to die from the disease.
Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity is teaming up with the South Dallas/Fair Park Faith Coalition and other community partners to help change these statistics. Join us Feb. 1, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Light of the World Church of Christ in Dallas for Brother to Brother: Black Men's Health - A Day of Love and Life, featuring:
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A special film screening of The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community
- Testimonials from prostate cancer survivors
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An opportunity to ask questions in a comfortable setting
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Free prostate cancer screenings
- Lunch and giveaways
This event is designed to empower Black men to take charge of their health. Ladies who love them are invited too. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome. Learn more and register here for yourself and a friend or family member.
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Have you resolved to quit smoking in 2025? UTSW’s Nicotine Cessation Program is here to help
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults report using a tobacco product. If you are one of them, perhaps quitting is at the top of your New Year’s resolution list.
Quitting tobacco has immediate health benefits and can lower your cancer risk, but it isn’t easy, experts say. That’s because the nicotine in cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco is highly addictive. Withdrawal can lead to headaches and cravings as well as nervousness, irritability, depression, and trouble sleeping. It often takes multiple tries to break free from a tobacco habit. Support from a nicotine cessation program can help make a difference in reaching your goal.
Simmons Cancer Center’s Nicotine Cessation Program uses a variety of approaches to support people who want to quit tobacco products of any kind. “We have tips and tools to help with the habits, and medication to help with the addiction,” says David Balis, M.D., a UT Southwestern internal medicine physician and Medical Director of Simmons’ Nicotine Cessation Program. In addition to meeting with Dr. Balis, program participants talk with a certified tobacco treatment specialist to make an individualized quit plan based on personal habits and smoking triggers.
The program is free, with the exception of medications. Read more about how it works and what family members can do to support a loved one on their quit journey. To ask questions about the program or to schedule an appointment, call 833-722-6237 or email NicotineCessationProgram@utsouthwestern.edu.
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Prioritizing your cervical health in the new year
As you mark your calendar for the coming year, make sure you’ve included appointments for annual wellness exams and recommended cancer screenings. Individuals with a cervix can protect their health, starting in their 20s, by staying up to date with the cervical cancer screening tests recommended by their gynecologist or primary health care provider.
Regular screening can lead to timely detection and treatment of cervical precancers and early-stage cancers. Screening tests include the Pap test and the HPV test.
While you’re at your wellness visit:
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Ask about vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus that can cause cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers as well as several other types of cancer. It works best when given before exposure to the virus, which is why it’s recommended for all preteens ages 11-12 or can be started at age 9. It’s also recommended for teens and young adults through age 26 who haven’t started or finished the vaccine series. Some adults ages 27-45 who haven’t been vaccinated might decide to get the HPV vaccine after discussing potential benefits with their clinician.
To learn more about HPV-related cancers and to hear about the global effort to wipe out cervical cancer, register here for Us vs. HPV, a series of webinars hosted Jan. 27-31 by the American Medical Women’s Association and the Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer.
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UT Southwestern’s Moncrief Cancer Institute provides hundreds of free cervical cancer screening tests each year to women throughout North Texas. This month, Moncrief is offering Pap tests to women without insurance in several counties, including Dallas, Denton, Lamar, and Young. To learn more about qualifications and to request an appointment, call 800-405-7739 or visit Moncrief’s webpage.
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UTSW scientists identify a genetic mutation that slows cancer growth
UT Southwestern researchers Hexin Shi, Ph.D. (top photo), and Bruce Beutler, M.D., have uncovered a genetic mutation that slows the growth of melanoma skin cancer by harnessing the power of a person’s immune system. Their findings could lead to new treatments that improve outcomes from existing cancer immunotherapies.
“Our findings suggest a completely new type of therapeutic target that could someday be used to suppress a wide range of cancers,” said Dr. Shi.
Dr. Shi is Assistant Professor in the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense and of Immunology at UT Southwestern. Dr. Beutler is Director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense and Professor of Immunology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Beutler was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of how the immune system is activated.
Learn more about the scientists’ discovery in this article from the UT Southwestern Medical Center newsroom.
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A hearty, healthy soup for a cold day
This month, Milette Siler, a culinary dietitian nutritionist in UTSW's Culinary Medicine Program, shares her recipe for Italian Farro e Fagioli Soup. Made with Italian farro, beans, and a variety of vegetables, this soup is delicious, easy to make, and packed with fiber, which helps lower cancer risk. Enjoy and stay warm!
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Upcoming cancer screenings and community events | | | |
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Moncrief Cancer Institute free mobile cancer screenings
UT Southwestern’s Moncrief Cancer Institute is offering free cancer screenings at the following locations in the coming weeks. To learn about screening qualifications and to schedule an appointment, call 817-288-9970. To find out about future screening events, visit Moncrief’s Event Calendar.
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Mammogram clinics
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Central YMCA
2200 S. Davis Drive, Arlington, TX 76013
Friday, Jan. 31, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Southlake Foundation
1256 Main St., Southlake, TX 76092
Prostate cancer screening
Thursday, Jan. 30, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Arlington Charities
811 Secretary Drive, Arlington, TX 76015
Prostate cancer screenings are for men ages 40 through 69.
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Prostate Cancer Foundation
Virtual Summit on the Caregiver Perspective
Thursday, Jan.23, 12:30-2 p.m. CST
Join the PCF Summit for an open discussion about the challenges (and joys) of caregiving. Learn about communication, changes in relationships, advocating for your loved one, and strategies to care for yourself. Patients, family members, and advocates are welcome. Register here.
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Parkland Health – no-cost breast cancer screenings
Parkland’s Moody Center for Breast Health is providing no-cost screening mammograms for women living in certain Dallas County ZIP codes. If you are age 40 or older and have not had a mammogram in the past 12 months, check out the event below and register online. Or visit the Parkland Health website for future events. For more information, call 214-266-3333.
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Saturday, Jan. 25, 7 a.m.-noon
C.V. Roman Health Center
3560 W. Camp Wisdom Road, Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75237
Register here
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Us vs. HPV 7th Annual HPV Prevention Week
Global Webinar Series
Jan. 27-31 | Zoom
Learn about HPV and the global effort to eliminate cervical cancer in this series of webinars hosted by the American Medical Women’s Association and the Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer. Register here.
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Brother to Brother: Black Men’s Health - A Day of Love and Life
Saturday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Light of the World Church of Christ
7408 S. Hampton Road, Dallas, TX 75232
Register here for free prostate cancer education and screening tests, lunch, and giveaways. See a special showing of The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community.
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11th Annual Healthy Lives Matter
Prostate Cancer Screening Event
Saturday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Moncrief Cancer Institute
400 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76104
Registration opens Jan. 17 for the Honorable Roy Charles Brooks’ longstanding Prostate Cancer Screening Event. Screening includes education and a blood test. The event also includes a free meal. Learn more here or call 817-531-5600.
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2025 Zero Prostate Cancer Advocacy Summit
February 23-25 | Washington, D.C.
Join the prostate cancer community at our nation’s capital to advocate for additional prostate cancer research funding and increased access to lifesaving prostate cancer screening. Learn more and register here.
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Get Your Rear in Gear – Fort Worth 5K Run/Walk
Saturday, March 8, 8 a.m.
Trinity Park, 2201 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, TX 77107
Join the race to help provide colorectal cancer screening, patient support, and educational resources for our local community. Register here.
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2025 Susan G. Komen Advocacy Summit
April 28-30 | Washington, D.C.
Join fellow breast cancer advocates for advocacy training, community connection, and a day of meetings with congressional offices. Learn more and register here. Registration closes Sunday, March 16.
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15th Annual North Texas Head for the Cure 5K
Saturday, May 3, 8 a.m.
Red Tail Pavilion
2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway
Plano, TX 75074
Register here to help raise funds, awareness, and hope for the North Texas brain tumor community. Race proceeds will benefit UTSW brain tumor research, Grey Matters North Texas Brain Tumor Support Group, Brains for the Cure, and other brain cancer initiatives.
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For newsletter questions, comments, or suggestions, email Renee.Barber@UTSouthwestern.edu. | | | | |
