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“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane."
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Dear Community:
As we prepare to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, we reflect on Dr. King’s enduring call to action – one rooted in justice, dignity, and collective responsibility. His vision reminds us that equity is not passive; it is built through intentional action that improves lives and strengthens communities.
In that spirit, we are proud to honor Dr. King’s legacy by announcing the return of the Health Expo, one of the Center for Closing the Health Gap’s signature events. On April 25, we will gather in Washington Park to once again remove barriers to care and bring health, education, and empowerment directly to the community.
The Health Expo is designed so that everyone is a participant, not just a spectator, offering free health screenings, interactive wellness experiences, and tools to support longer, healthier lives. This is how we bring our guiding principle to life: We Must Save Us.
As we remember Dr. King, we recommit ourselves to turning vision into action and words into impact. I hope you’ll join us on Monday in reflection, and in April in community.
Wishing you a safe and healthy week ahead!
Renee Mahaffey Harris
President & CEO
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Health Expo Returns in 2026 with Bold, Hands-On Experiences in the Heart of Downtown Cincinnati
Center for Closing the Health Gap Reintroduces Reimagined Signature Event on April 25 at Washington Park
CINCINNATI, OH – The Center for Closing the Health Gap announced today the return of its signature Health Expo, reimagined for 2026 as a highly interactive, participant-driven community experience focused on prevention, empowerment, and transformation. The event will take place Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Washington Park and is expected to welcome more than 10,000 attendees.
Launched by former mayor of the city of Cincinnati Dwight Tillery, since its inaugural event in 2004, the Health Expo has reached more than 200,000 attendees and provided nearly 50,000 health screenings.
“This is how we bring We Must Save Us to life,” said Renee Mahaffey Harris, President and CEO of the Center for Closing the Health Gap. “The Health Expo has always been about removing barriers to health. In 2026, we’re taking that commitment further by creating an environment where people actively engage, learn, and take ownership of their health.”
In addition to interactive experiences, the 2026 Health Expo will offer more than 20 free health screenings in partnership with UC Health, Health Collaborative, Cincinnati Children’s, TriHealth, Mercy Health, the Ohio Department of Health, and Network for Hope. Screenings will include blood pressure, glucose levels, BMI, mammography, select cancer screenings, and hearing, vision, and speech testing for children.
“Sponsors will be embedded,” said Romayne Jones, producer of the 2026 Expo and owner of ROJO Productions. “We’re building an event that feels dynamic, welcoming, and truly impactful.”
The Center for Closing the Health Gap is currently inviting sponsors and partners for the 2026 Health Expo. To learn more or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Romayne Jones at 513-551-9676 or rojoproductions26@gmail.com.
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Closing the Health Gap CEO Renee Mahaffey Harris named among Business Courier's 2026 Health Care Heroes awards finalists
This is the 29th year for the awards program, which honors professionals who help elevate the quality of health care in Greater Cincinnati. Renee Mahaffey Harris, President and CEO of the Center for Closing the Health Gap, was named a finalist in the Executives category. Winners will be announced at a special event on February 19 at Cincinnati Music Hall.
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Hospital Crisis Watch: Outlook is Grim for Rural Healthcare as Trump GOP Medicaid Cuts Set In
It’s a new year, but rural health care still faces the same bitter headwinds from last year’s Trump-GOP Medicaid cuts. While billionaires and big corporations stuff their wallets with $1 trillion in Republican tax giveaways, rural families are finding fewer health care providers to help them when they need it most. Pediatric care options are shrinking, putting children at risk. Birth centers are closing, leaving expectant mothers with nowhere to turn. And as nursing home staffing declines, parents and grandparents are left vulnerable to life-endangering neglect. The GOP rural health pity fund has come nowhere near to replacing the billions of dollars Republicans ripped away from rural health systems in their budget bill. Over 600 providers across the country are now facing closure or cutting services because Trump and his cronies in Congress put billionaires over working people’s health care.
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Looking downstream: How cancer care disparities affect mortality
Health inequalities are a persistent worldwide challenge in public health, with cancer mortality representing one of the most significant contributors to avoidable deaths. Globally, cancer accounts for nearly 15% of annual deaths and is a major driver of health disparities between socioeconomic groups. The Covid pandemic amplified these inequalities by disrupting healthcare services, delaying diagnoses and reducing access to treatment. Against this backdrop, in our paper ‘Cancer disparities: Projection, COVID-19, and scenario-based diagnosis delay impact’, we investigated how disparities in cancer mortality are projected to evolve to 2036, considering both pre-pandemic trends and pandemic-related disruptions.
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U.S. cancer survival hits historic high, but risks and inequities persist
There is good news for the millions of Americans diagnosed with cancer each year. The 2026 American Cancer Society Facts and Figures Report released Tuesday showed more people are surviving cancer than ever before. The nationwide five-year cancer survival rate has reached 70% for the first time, with seven in 10 people diagnosed today expected to live at least five years. The rate is up from about 49% in the 1970s.
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Residential Segregation Adversely Affects Black CV Health
lack people living in US states with high residential segregation have a greater risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD) than those who live in more integrated areas, according to an analysis from the REGARDS study. For white people, no such association existed. Lead author Monika M. Safford, MD (Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY), said the study of more than 24,000 participants “ substantially strengthens the evidence” around structural racism’s contribution to health inequities in CVD in a field that has been laser-focused on individual determinants of health like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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FDA-funded study of pulse oximeter accuracy yields surprising and confusing results
Rather than provide clarity on how to reduce racial bias in pulse oximeter readings, a long-awaited study commissioned by the Food and Drug Administration has muddied the path forward.
The results were meant to help researchers understand why the handheld devices, widely used in hospitals and clinics to measure blood oxygen levels, do not work as well on patients with darker skin tones. But the initial findings, published in a paper that has not yet been peer reviewed, were surprising and did not provide conclusive guidance to clinicians.
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Building Equitable Health Systems for All Families
Americans spend significantly more on health than other wealthy countries. Yet, we face the worst health outcomes with the lowest life expectancy and highest maternal and infant mortality rates among peer nations. While our current health system fails everyone, it doesn’t affect all communities equally.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is supporting efforts to build equitable health systems where every person, regardless of background, has access to the essential ingredients of optimal health. Its partners and grantees are investing at the intersection of healthcare, education and community systems to create conditions where all children and families can thrive.
We fund initiatives that create culturally respectful health and social support systems that enable better communication and building trust between individuals and providers, which leads to improved health outcomes and reduces disparities. We also support a well-funded and equitable public health system that invests in preventive care.
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Overcoming Persistent Poverty Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Care
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death. CRC is one of a few cancer types that is preventable with screening, with survival approximately 91% when identified at early stages compared with 14% when identified at late stages. Social determinants of health impact disparities in CRC screening, with factors such as financial insecurity, housing instability, and food insecurity associated with lower uptake of screening.
Naar and colleagues present a retrospective cohort study of 20 015 patients diagnosed with colon cancer in California from 2017 to 2020. The authors aimed to compare disease-specific mortality and other clinical outcomes between patients living in areas with high persistent poverty and those living in areas with low persistent poverty. They found that individuals living in areas of high persistent poverty were diagnosed at later disease stages and were associated with higher rates of disease-specific mortality from colon cancer.
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Smart Stress Solutions for Med Students to Thrive and Stay Healthy
Medical students, and the family members, mentors, and community caregivers who support them, often carry medical student stress in silence while trying to keep up with the relentless academic pressure in medicine. In healthcare education, stress prevalence can make exhaustion feel “normal,” even when it quietly erodes sleep, focus, and relationships. When stress goes unnamed, mental health risks rise, and unhealthy coping mechanisms can start to look like the only way to keep going. The first step toward staying healthy is treating stress as a real, predictable challenge that deserves early care.
Quick Summary: Stress Support for Med Students
- Use practical stress management strategies to protect medical student well-being day to day.
- Use quick stress relief techniques to calm your body and mind during intense moments.
- Choose healthy coping tools that support long term wellness instead of short term fixes.
- Watch for substance use warning signs and use substance abuse prevention steps early.
- Reach for supportive resources when stress feels unmanageable, especially alongside chronic illness.
How Stress Shrinks Your Options
It helps to name what’s happening. Under pressure, stress can trigger cognitive narrowing, where your attention tightens and quick, impulsive choices start to feel “necessary.” The first move is spotting that narrowing; the second is taking one brief breath-and-pause before you act.
This matters for families and caregivers managing chronic illness, because rushed decisions can lead to missed meds, harsher words, or skipped meals that worsen symptoms. A tiny pause can protect trust, reduce preventable flare-ups, and keep care decisions aligned with your values. Imagine a caregiver gets a scary lab alert during a shift and feels the urge to panic-text or give up. They notice the tunnel vision, take one slow breath, then use a simple guide grounded in decision-making tips: What is urgent, what can wait, and what support can I ask for? That pause sets the stage for daily routines that make healthy choices easier, even on packed schedules.
Habits That Make Calm the Default
Start small, then repeat.
These habits turn that one-breath pause into a steady routine that fits clinical days, study blocks, and caregiving demands. Practiced consistently, they help you protect health equity at home by making calm, safe choices easier to access even during chronic illness flare-ups.
Three-Breath Reset
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What it is: Take three slow breaths before replying, charting, or giving meds.
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How often: Daily, at every transition.
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Why it helps: The small consistent practices can reduce reactivity and sharpen next-step thinking.
Two-Minute Body Scan
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What it is: Notice jaw, shoulders, stomach, then soften each area.
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How often: Daily, midday and bedtime.
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Why it helps: It reduces tension you might misread as “I can’t cope.”
Ten-Minute Walk Prescription
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What it is: Walk outside or in hallways, phone down, steady pace.
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How often: 3 times weekly.
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Why it helps: It improves mood regulation without adding more screen time.
Progressive Muscle Release
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What it is: Do progressive muscle relaxation by tensing then releasing major muscle groups.
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How often: 2 to 4 times weekly.
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Why it helps: It trains your body to exit fight-or-flight faster.
One Support Text
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What it is: Send one honest check-in to a friend, classmate, or mentor.
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How often: Weekly.
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Why it helps: Connection reduces isolation and supports safer coping choices.
Pick one habit to try this week, then tailor it to your family’s rhythm.
Quick Checklist to Prevent Stress Escalation
Keep it simple and visible.
This checklist turns good intentions into fast choices you can repeat on hard days, especially when chronic illness or caregiving pressure narrows your options. Early steps protect health equity by making safer coping more accessible before stress turns into shutdown or risky relief, especially since past month illicit drug use affects millions.
✔ Confirm your first warning sign and write it in one sentence
✔ Set a two-minute reset alarm for your toughest daily transition
✔ Swap one unhealthy urge for water, a walk, or muscle release
✔ Track sleep, pain, and mood with a three-word daily note
✔ Review your weekly schedule and block one true recovery window
✔ Text one support person before you hit your limit
✔ Remove one trigger tool from reach for the next 24 hours
Check off one item today, then repeat it until it feels automatic.
Choosing One Small Self-Care Habit to Protect Your Training
Medical training can pull you into constant urgency, and stress can quietly build until it spills into sleep, focus, and relationships. The steadier path is mindful stress management paired with positive self-care reinforcement, treating your well-being as part of your education, not a reward for surviving it. When you practice this mindset, academic performance and well-being stop competing, and long-term mental health benefits become more reachable even during hard weeks. Small, consistent care is how high-performing clinicians stay well. Choose one small action today, pick a boundary, a pause, or a healthy coping swap from the checklist, and commit to it through the week. That kindness strengthens stability, resilience, and the capacity to show up for yourself and your community.
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