16 Manhattan Tunes September 6.

2007

.....
a::
= byDorkys Ranws
Fourteen years ago, Ivis Febus-
They learn about the newest treatments
and go to Washington, D.C. to meet
with politicians and ask for funding.
.... Sampayo was diagnosed with breast
cancer. She was 38. After emerging on
the winning side of her battle against
"It's amazing to watch the growth [in
these women]." Febus-Sampayo said.
c:c cancer, Febus-Sampayo is now more
determined than ever to get the word
Lola Ruz-Curry,
community program
outreach and
coordinator
..... out about how to be a survivor. for Women at Risk, facilitates the
LatinaSHARE group at New York-
..... "Wearing a pink ribbon is not
enough." Febus-Sampayo said. Going Presbyterian Hospital. A breast cancer
beyond the ribbon. Febus-Sampayo survivor herself, she will be presenting
the breast cancer workshop later on
..:I
_ fights breast cancer as the director
of an advocacy and support network
this month. She became involved in
LatinaSHARE eight years ago, where
~ called LatinaSHARE. The Spanish-

.._. L'\\
~
,..
language organization
of SHARE: Self-helpfor Women
with Breast or Ovarian Cancer, an
is a branch

organization run by breast and ovarian

cancer survivors for other women who
she received training and continues to
volunteer, although she also works part-
time for Women at Risk. Today. she
splits her time between support group
meetings in the hospitals and calling
are battling the disease. which is the her members to check up on their
second leading cause of cancer death physical and emotional health. Since
Z for women in the U.S. LatinaSHARE
will bring its resources to the heart of
some women don't feel comfortable
sharing their stories in public, Ruz-

_
_
.".

,.
one of New York's Latina communities
on September 29. when it holds a free
breast cancer information workshop at
the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital!
.:;::: Columbia University's Milstein
LatinaSHARE member Carmen Diaz works the
organization's
diagnosed
support.
SpanislHanguage
womencancallfor informationand
Carmen DIaz, miembro de LatinaSHARE,
hotlinethat /rabajaen la lineadizedaquela organizaciOn
establecidopam bmdar infonnaci<Jn
espal!olacen:adel cancer.
Y apayoen
Curry has been able to reach out to
them by I1hone.
"We try to give out more and
ha more information to women of the
community." she said. 1nformation on
breast cancer. how it can be treated. and
Pavilion located on 177 Ft. Washington
Ave. on W. 168" Street. The workshop who women can turn to will be on hand
most common form of cancer in women the organizationare women who have during the workshop. "1t's not just for
will teach women about breast cancer.
(excluding certain skin cancers). With survived breast or ovarian cancer those with cancer.butfor all women...

_.

...
..
early detection, and different forms
III of treatment. Taught in conjunction
with Women at Risk. a grassroots
organizationfor women who have a
high risk of developing breast cancer,
178.480 new cases of invasive breast themselves and have decided to help said Ruz-Curry.
cancer estimated to develop this year. others. To the volunteers. their "gift is
one in eight women has the chance of the love of giving back," said Febus- crux
developing breast cancer. And although Sampayo.
While the SHARE program runs for
Information and support are the
of LatinaSHARE's strength and
success. And those two elements
it is the second leading cause of cancer
death in women (after lung cancer). six weeks at a time. LatinaSHARE is combine to empower all women.

_
. 1:3 and the Departmentof Breast Cancer
of ColumbiaUniversity,the workshop
also aims to let newly diagnosed women
know that they don't have to fight the
death rates have been declining. The constant and the members become
whether they've bUll callcer free for
ACS attributes the decline to early like a family. They support one 14 years like Febus-Sampayo. are just
begillnillg chemotherapy like mallY
screening. improved treatment. and another by offering to baby-sit while of the organization's members. or are
~ battle against this cancer alone. awareness. another member is in the hospital or

_
.".
~
L.:."
Last year, LatinaSHARE held 57
programs focusing on health. advocacy,
and wellness as well as outreach
programs and fundraisers. With seven
support groups in New York City,
and two of them located in Upper
Manhattan, Febus-Sampayo wants
women with breast or ovarian cancer
to know that they have partners who
share their hopes for finding a cure and
advocating for government support to
treat and study the disease.
According to the American Cancer
Society (ACS). breast cancer is the
SHARE was created in 1976 by a visiting someone who is going through simply
young surgeon and 12 breast cancer treatment. And if you think there's
healthy women concerned about
the disease.
The word "survivor" is used among
survivors. They trained and started only crying going on in these groups. members from the moment a WOman is
their own peer-led support group with then you're mistaken. Laughter is diagnosed with cancer. 1t'sjust a matter
English-language hollines. Then, 15 often heard coming from the meeting of turning her into a thriver, Febus-
years ago LatinaSHARE was created. rooms, said Febus-Sampayo. and the
It now provides its own resources women are free to discuss other topics women Sampayo said. "When we help those
heal." she said. "we heal too. "
and emotional support to the Latina of interest. For more information on SHARE
community. With support groups located LatinaSHARE's mission is also to
and 'lAtinaSHARE visit www.
throughout the city, LatinaSHARE also educate and provide advocacy ..ervices. sharecancersupport.org or call toll
offers Spanish-language hotlines that Many women don't have a voice in their free: 866-891-2392 (English) or 212-
diagnosed women can call for free native countries. said Febus-Sampayo.
719-4454 (Spanish).
services provided by trained volunteers. but LatinaSHARE teaches them to
Most of the volunteers who work with advocate for themselves in the U.S.

So BREVIVlREM OS: LotinaSHARE

par Dorkys Ramos
Catorceanosatras.IvisFebus-Sampayo
diagnosticada concancerdelseno.Ellatenia
38anos.Luegodeganarsubatallacontra
el cancer,Febus-Sampayo ahoraestamas
determinada quenuncaenInfonnarsobrecomo
serunsobreviviente.
'Ellievarunacintarosadonoessuficiente',
diJoFebus-Sampayo. Yendomasaliadela
clnta,Febus-Sampayo luchaeIcancerde
cenocomodirectoradeunareddetrabajo
dedefensay apayolIamada'LatinaSHARE'.
Laorganizaci6n esunasucursaldeSHARE:
Autoayudaparamujeresconcancerde
senoy ovarioenespanol,unaorganlzacion
dirigldaporsobrevivientes decancerde
senoy ovanosparaotrasmujeresqueestln
luchandoconla enfennedad, lacualesla
segundacausaprincipaldemuertesporcancer
entrelasmujeresdelosE.U,LatinaSHARE
traerarecursosalcoraz6ndeunadelas
comunidades latinasdeNuevaYorkel 29de
septiembre, cuandolIevaraacabountaller
deInfonnaci6n decancerdesenogratuitoen
la Universidad ColumbiaiPabell6n Milsteindel
HospitalNewYork-Presbyterian localizado
ene1177delaAvenidaFt Washington enel
oestedela Calle168.EItallerense~ara a las
mujeresacercadelcancerdeseno.detecci6n
temprana y dlferentesfonnasdetratamiento.
Ense~ado enconjuntoconMujeresenRiesgo.
unaorganizaci6n paramujeresquetienenun
altoriesgodedesarrollar cancerdelsenoy
el Departamento deCancerdel Senodela
Universidad Columbia. el tallertambienbusca
el deja~esabera mujeresrecientemente
construyereddesobrevivientes
diagnosticadas queellasnotienenqueluchar diagnosticadas puedenIIamarparaconsegulr
lue solasla batallacontraestecancer. servlciosgratissuministrados porvoluntarios
a anopasado.LatinaSHARE auspicl657 entrenados. Lamayorladelosvoluntanos que
programas enfocados ensaludy defensacomo trabalanconla organizaci6n sonmujeresque
tambienprogramas deserviclosespeclales
y ellasmlsmashansobrevivido a cancerdeseno
recaudacion defondos,Consietegruposde u ovarioy handecididoayudara otras.Paralos
apoyoenlaeludaddeNuevaYorky dosde voluntarios,su'regaloeseIamordedevolve!",
elloslocalizados enelAltoManhattan. Febus- dijoFebus-Sampayo.
Sampayo quierequelasmujeresconcancerde Aunqueel programa SHAREcorrepor
senouovanosepanquetienenpersonas que seissemanasconsecutivas, LatinaSHARE es
comparten susesperanzas enencontrar una constantey Iosmiembros pasana sercomo
curay aboganpareIapoyodelgobiemopara familia.EUasseapayanofreciendose a cuidar
tratary estudlarla enfermedad. !osninosmientrasolmmiembroestl enel
Segunla Socledad Americana delCancer hospital0 visltandoa alguienqueestaen
(ACS,parsussiglasenIngles),eIcancerde tratamlento.Ysl ustedplensaqueenestos
senoeslafonnamascomundecancerenlas grupossolose1I0ra, entoncesustedestl
mujeres(exeluyendo dertoscanceresdepial). equivocado. Larisaa menudoesescuchada
Saestima
queestea~ohabran
178,480casos saliendodelossalonesdereunlones, dijo
nuevosdecancerdesenoinvasivo,Unade Febus-Sampayo. y lasmUjeres sonlibresde
ochomujerestienela pasibilidaddedesarrollar discutirotrostopicosdeinteres.
cancerdeseno.Y aunqueesla segundacausa Lamisi6ndeLatinaSHARE tamblenesla de
principaldemuerteparcancerenmujeres educary proveerservlciosdeapoyo.Muchas
Ouego delcancerdepUlm6n), losindicesde mujeresnotienenvozensuspalsesnatales,
mortalidad hanIdodlsminuyendo. B ACS dijoFebus-Sampayo, peroLatinaSHARE
atribuyela disminucion
a proyeccl6n temprana, lesenseiiaa defenderse enlosE.U.Elias
mejorestratamientosy creacl6ndeconelencia. aprendenacercadelostratamientos mas
SHAREluecreadoenel1976poruna nuevosy vana Washington. D.C.parareunirse
jovenelrujanay 12sobrevivientesdecancer conpoliticosy pedirfondos.'Esincrelblever
deseno.Ellosentrenaron y comenzaron su eIcrecimiento enestasmujeres',dijoFebus-
propiogrupodeapayoconlineasdeayuda Sampayo.
eningles.Entonces, 15a~osaIr1islue creada LolaRuz-Curry, coordinadora deservicios
LatinaSHARE. Aharaproveesuspropios especlales y programas comunales para
recursosy apoyoemocional parala comunidad Mujeresen RiesgofacilitaeI grupode
latina.CongruposdeapayoIocallzados a LatinaSHARE eneIHospitalNewYork-
10largodela ciudad,LatinaSHARE tamblen Presbyterian.Bla unasobreviviente decancer
ofrecelineasenespanolquemujeres deseno.estarapresentando eItallerdecancer
desenoa finalesdeestemes.Seenvolvioen
LatinaSHARE haceochoa~os,donderecibl6
entrenamiento y continuocomovoluntaria,
aunqueellatambientrabajatiempoparcial
conMujeresenRiesgo.Hoy.elladividesu
tiempoentrereunlones degrupadeapoyo
enIoshospitales y lIamando a susmiembros
paraverificarsusaludflsicay emocional. Ya
quealgunasmujeresnosesientenc6modas
compartJendo sushistoriasenpublico,Ruz-
CurryhapodidolIegara ellasportelefono.
'Nosotrostratamosdebrindarmasy mas
infonnaci6n alasmujeresdela comunidad',
dijoella.Infonnaci6n sobrecancerdeseno,
comopuedesertratadoy a quemujeresutilizar
durantelostalleres.'No essoloparaaquellas
concancersinoparatodaslasmujeres',dijo
Ruz-Curry.
LaInfonnael6n y el apoyosonel puntade
la fortalezay exitode LatinaSHARE. Y esos
doselementos combinados habnitan a Iodas
lasmujeres,tantoa lasquehanestadolibre
delcancerpar14a~oscomoFebus-Sampayo,
comoalasmuchasmujeresmiembros que
hancomenzado quimioterapia,0 mujeres
saludables preocupadas parla enfennedad.
Lapalabra'sobreviviente' esutHizada entre
Iosmiembros desdeel momento queunamujer
esdiagnosticada concancer.Essolocuesti6n
deconvertJ~a enunapersonaconsalud,dijo
Febus-Sampayo. 'Cuandonosotrosayudamos
a esasmujeresa sanar",dijoella,'nosolms
tambiensanamos'.
Pammasinfonnaci6n deSHAREy
LatinaSHARE visitewww.sharecancersupport.
org(eningles)0 212-719-4454 (enespanoQ.