ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center's Community Outreach Program will present Dia de la Familia, on Sunday, Oct. 10, a free event aimed at raising awareness of cancer and other health issues among Latinos.

This informational event - which takes place during National Hispanic Heritage Month - will include health screenings, workshops, and onsite local community agencies and organizations that serve Hispanics and Latinos.
 
"Cancer is taking a disproportionate toll on several minority communities, and there are disproportionate rates of cancer, diabetes and heart disease among Hispanics and Latinos," says Aisha Langford, MPH, minority outreach coordinator at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Among Hispanics, for example, women are 2.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.
 
The free health screenings that will be offered at the event including blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and glaucomacould save lives, Langford says.

Event information:
Date: Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Location: Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, Mich.
 
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 500,000 deaths each year. Education, health screenings and general awareness of cancer-related topics enable people to take the appropriate actions and steps needed to prevent such a devastating group of diseases, Langford says.
 
For more information about this event please, contact Aisha Langford, MPH at 734-998-7073 or alangfor@umich.edu.