The Latino Cancer Institute Special Winter Edition Newsletter
December 19, 2023
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5th Annual National Forum Report
The Turbulent Ecosystem, Climate Change’s Impacts on the Latino Cancer Burden!
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On October 27, an esteemed group of scientists, policy advocates, and legislators from across the country and Puerto Rico joined us for the Forum. 161 attendees participated in the three-hour convening, as the Institute turned a spotlight on the intersection of climate change and cancer, a disease that accounts for one in five Latino deaths nationwide. | | |
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This year the world has suffered one climate catastrophe after another – hurricanes, record breaking heat waves, megadroughts, monster storms, fires, floods, and melting ice – leaving a trail of death and destruction.
Whether 2023 is an outlier or a sign of things to come, The Latino Cancer Institute chose to focus on the intersection between these increasingly common, worldwide adverse events and how they impact vulnerable populations.
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- Individuals diagnosed with cancer are vulnerable to the health hazards of climate change due to the physical, psychological, and socio-economic consequences of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Communities can work together to improve their resilience to extreme climate events.
- Governments and organizations contribute to climate change, and have the opportunity to improve health outcomes through policies and practices.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Organizations and governments should encourage or require vendors to measure and report their carbon footprint during product manufacturing and transportation, and choose products that are more environmentally responsible.
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Ask the Congressman
Joaquin Castro
Congressman for the 20th District of Texas
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“You have more power than you know. Each individual has more power than they know. And you don't have to be an elected official to have an important and meaningful voice in public policy.”
Watch: Interview with Joaquin Castro
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In an interview with Ysabel Duron, TLCI's executive director, the Congressman said: | |
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Climate change is affecting Americans now, through increased wildfires, floods, and high intensity hurricanes.
- Climate change affects immigration and foreign aid; global extreme weather events create climate change refugees who require assistance and may flee to other countries.
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- Advocates and policy makers must work together to ameliorate the negative effect of climate change on cancer.
- Finally, Congressman Castro, who is currently battling his own cancer diagnosis, expressed concern about the high cost of cancer care, voicing support for universal health care.
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Robert Hiatt, MD, PhD
Associate Director of Population Sciences,
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF
“Those of us who work in health care systems need to be prepared for major disruptions in the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat individuals at risk of cancer.”
Watch: Women’s Cancers and Climate Change
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- Drought and rising temperatures can be expected to decrease the availability of nutritious foods that are beneficial for the prevention of cancer, especially breast and colorectal cancers.
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- Those among us who are most disadvantaged are bearing the heaviest burden of climate change.
- Cancers that will be impacted by climate change include skin cancer, GI cancer, and breast cancer, but first will be lung cancer, which is one of the primary causes of mortality and cancer among men and increasingly becoming a significant cause of mortality among women.
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Bidwell Bar Bridge in Oroville, CA amid the Bear fire, Sept 9, 2020. Photo credit, AP, Noah Berger. | |
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Mandate reductions in industrial waste and dependence on fossil fuels.
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- Over 10,000 industrial chemicals are used in beauty, self-care, and cleaning products and many are linked to cancer, reproductive harm, respiratory issues, allergies, and more.
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- Discriminatory beauty norms based on racism, classism, and sexism drive a lot of the product marketing to women, especially Black and Latina women.
- The use of cleaning products exposes us to a variety of chemicals through inhalation and skin absorption, and Latinos are disproportionately represented in cleaning professions.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Better regulate cosmetic, personal care, and cleaning products so that they are less harmful to health.
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- Consequences from hurricanes including power outages, damages to infrastructure and communication systems, and medication and medical record losses can delay cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Comprehensive Cancer Control Plans in response to natural disasters and extreme events should fit the vulnerabilities of the population they serve.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Invest in community-led projects that build resilience to extreme climate disasters like hurricanes.
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- Migrant farmworkers face key challenges including hazardous working conditions, lack of protections, housing insecurity, and health risks exacerbated by climate impacts like extreme heat, pesticide exposure, and wildfires.
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- Pesticide exposure has been linked to cancers, such as prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, brain cancer, breast cancer, and leukemia.
- With pesticide exposure linked to childhood leukemia, risks are amplified for pregnant farmworkers exposed on the job.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Support the development of culturally relevant, contextual cancer prevention and care resources, and invest in trusted messengers like community health workers.
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- Legacies of structural racism and inequality have caused marginalized communities, including Latino communities, to be disproportionately impacted by climate change.
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- Specific policies and residential segregation are the origins and persistence of health disparities related to both climate change drivers and climate change impacts.
- Environmental justice advocates and community research partners have transformed scientific perspectives to think more holistically about social and structural determinants of health.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Finance the assessment of the cumulative impacts from stressors (climate, chemical, and social) and their implications for cancer risk.
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WOEIP staff strategize on land use. | |
- Residents experience barriers to civic participation such as fear of political persecution, lack of free time, expectations of being unwelcome, or cultural norms.
- It is our responsibility to educate community members about issues and give them time and space to form their own intellectual, emotional, or moral positions prior to asking them about their preferences, thoughts, and perspectives.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Address unsafe living conditions through changes to zoning, like moving schools away from truckyards and high-traffic areas.
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"I want to congratulate you on an excellent forum this year. It was educational, thought-provoking and motivational for a call-to-action.”
Olympia Cepeda, MPH, Director of Latina Share and Senior Outreach
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90% of those surveyed indicated that the Forum presented new approaches that will help them in their current role. | |
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An exciting announcement:
TLCI on stage at South by Southwest!
Panel on Cancer Innovation and Those Who are Left Behind
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On March 11, 2024, The Latino Cancer Institute will be on stage for the first time at South by Southwest, an annual conference and festival event that brings together creatives from around the world. TLCI founder and executive director Ysabel Duron will join a panel hosted by Harlan Levine, President, Health Innovation and Policy at City of Hope, and Anita Chabria from the Los Angeles Times. Find more information here. | |
Thank you to our sponsors and supporters | |
Special thanks to the TLCI team | |
Thanks for your time. TLCI welcomes your support to continue to bring these important issues and findings to your attention. | | | | | | |
