Cancer Research Institute to Host Second Annual Spanish-Language Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a nonprofit organization spearheading transformative research to harness the immune system’s power to control and potentially cure all cancers, will offer its second annual CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit in Spanish on September 22, 2022, 2-5 p.m. ET. This free virtual event, moderated by TV Host and Entrepreneur Ana Patricia Gámez, and presented completely in Spanish, will connect Hispanic cancer patients and caregivers with groundbreaking research updates from leading immunotherapy experts driving scientific breakthroughs and advancements that impact patient care.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic people, with current cancer research and statistics indicating a higher incidence of liver cancer, stomach cancer, and cervical cancers in the Hispanic population. With harrowing statistics like, 1 in 3 Hispanic men and women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and 1 in 5 men and 1 in 7 women will die from the disease,  CRI continues its commitment to empower the U.S. Hispanic cancer community and help create a world immune to cancer.

Cancer immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to control and eliminate cancer. CRI is bringing the promise of immunotherapy to the underserved Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanic community with in-language research, information, and direct access to clinical trials, to ultimately improve treatment outcomes for this patient group. CRI offers free clinical trial consultations where a professional will walk patients and their families through their immunotherapy clinical trial options. In addition, CRI will be developing content and news bites in Spanish from leading members of the CRI scientist community, sharing Hispanic-relevant information and patient stories.

“Understanding a cancer diagnosis and treatment options are a vital part of a patient success story, said Dr. Kurt Schalper, associate professor of pathology and medicine (medical oncology), Yale School of Medicine, director of the Translational Immuno-Oncology Laboratory, Yale Cancer Center, and CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit keynote speaker. “There is an undeniable need to make information available in-language for Spanish-speaking cancer patients and caregivers. Knowledge and access to data are key components for patients to advocate for themselves and make informed choices. I am honored to be a part of CRI’s second annual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit to help benefit the U.S. Hispanic cancer community.”

An early diagnosis can make the difference between life and death, and overall Hispanic men and women are generally less likely to be diagnosed at an early stage, when treatment is usually less intensive and more successful. Over the past two years, the Cancer Research Institute has launched several initiatives to engage Spanish-speaking Hispanic patient and caregiver communities including the development of an immunotherapy patient information hub in Spanish we well as the first all-Spanish language CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit, which included an informative session devoted to overcoming racial and ethnic inequalities in access to health information and care. 

“Here at the Cancer Research Institute, we continue to work to address barriers that hinder scientific progress and access to Spanish-language health information and care by creating a platform for scientists and patients to share their firsthand experiences at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy research and connect with clinical trials,” said Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, CEO and director of scientific affairs at CRI. “We hope to reach and positively impact the U.S. Hispanic cancer community via our in-language CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit, and with the integral participation of our media sponsor TelevisaUnivision and host Ana Patricia Gámez.

“I am so very honored to be asked back to moderate the second annual CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit in Spanish,” said Ana Patricia Gámez, TV host and entrepreneur. “It is a privilege to support Hispanic cancer patients and caregivers in their healthcare journey once again, connecting the community with potentially lifesaving information and access to clinical trials. I do this in loving memory of my father, and I know he would be proud to be a part of such an important program.”

“As a journalist, it is my duty to serve my community, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to moderate a panel and be a part of the CRI mission to better serve U.S. Hispanic cancer patients and caregivers,” said Teresa Rodríguez, host of Univisionarios (Univision News). 

“There is a need to engage and help our community overcome barriers to better care and treatments.” 

From the comfort and safety of home, attendees of the free CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit in Spanish can expect to:

• Learn the basics of cancer immunotherapy and how it may help them or their loved one.
• Hear from and interact with leading physician-scientists with expertise in cancer immunotherapy.
• Gain valuable insight into how clinical trials work and to understand whether they are a good option for patients to explore with their healthcare team.
• Learn more about the latest research on cancers most affecting the U.S. Hispanic community.
• Discover issues specific to U.S. Hispanic communities regarding overall health care and how doctors, organizations, advocates, and individuals are addressing these challenges.
• Hear real patients who have undergone immunotherapy treatment tell their story.

Support for the Spanish-language 2022 CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit is generously provided by the following sponsors:

Official Media Sponsor: TelevisaUnivision

• Gold:
  • Bristol Myers Squibb
• Silver:
  • Merck & Co., Inc.
  • GSK
• Contributor:
  • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Sanofi
• Friend:
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Genmab
  • MorphoSys
• Host Institutions
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • NYU Langone Health
  • University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Univeristy of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  • Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital

The Cancer Research Institute has pledged to help close the information and research gap and better serve the Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanic community. Visit cancerresearch.org/es to see the robust and helpful offering of information now available in Spanish. Visit cancerresearch.org/es/conferencia to register for the free Spanish-language 2022 CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit.