UPDATE: ACS publication honors Dr. Erwin with online article called "NY Researcher Receives Largest Grant Ever" Click to read the full article at the American Cancer Society website

For Immediate Release
March 2, 2007

BUFFALO, NY – The American Cancer Society has awarded a four-year, $1.8 million grant to Deborah O. Erwin, PhD, Director of Cancer Health Disparities at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) to investigate the effectiveness of an innovative intervention model, Esperanza y Vida [Hope and Life], in reaching members of the Latino population to increase breast and cervical screening behaviors.

“Latinas in the U.S. are likely to have higher morbidity and mortality rates for breast and cervical cancers than Anglo women,” according to Dr. Erwin, “However, studies show that much of this difference may be due to disparities in screening behaviors, and that culturally appropriate interventions can address some of these disparities.”

The Esperanza y Vida program will address Latino men and women in rural and urban settings via educational sessions presented in Spanish. Presentations will feature a cancer survivor telling her story to counter the “death sentence” aspect of cancer, and to acknowledge the importance of spiritual concerns for Latinas. Latino men are being included in these sessions as both health educators and participants to increase their knowledge and understanding of these women’s health issues and to emphasize the importance of keeping women healthy for the good of the entire family.

The researchers hope to determine if participants will be more likely to obtain breast and cervical screening after attending the program, and also to determine the impact of this intervention on specific demographic and social factors, beliefs, and/or access issues that are associated with screening.

“This is an important study to investigate a promising educational method to increase breast and cervical cancer screening, thereby improving survival in the Latina population,” notes Dr. Erwin. She is collaborating in this study with colleagues from the College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR and the Department of Oncological Sciences at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. The American Cancer Society Eastern Division has 46 community-based offices, involving thousands of volunteers throughout New York and New Jersey. For 24-hour cancer information, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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