Launched in 2023, Texas Health Equity Alliance for Breast Cancer (THEAL) is a multi-sector collaborative focused on reducing breast cancer disparities experienced by Black women in Harris County. THEAL is grounded in principles of cross-sector collaboration, system strengthening and aligned multilateral impact.
THEAL’s goal is to reduce the disparity in breast cancer mortality by half within five years and eliminate the disparity in 15 years.
The project
Multiple funded Collaborating Organizations associated with THEAL expressed interest in recruiting younger breast cancer survivors. Many survivorship groups felt their programming was not reaching younger groups of women, who have unique needs. They asked the CHC for guidance. In response, we created the report below as well as presented on the topic at a meeting of the alliance.
Team
The strategy for reaching younger cancer survivors was created through a collaboration of the Cancer Prevention and Control Platform and UT Center for Health Communication. The communication supervisor was Martha Vieco-Garcia. Catherine Cunningham and I created the strategy. Feedback and guidelines were provided by the Health Systems Strengthening team and other CHC team members. The final designed report was produced by Ellen Shin. The program visual identity of THEAL was designed by Ellen Shin within the brand guidelines of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
THEAL team
- Lorna H. McNeill, Ph.D., M.P.H (Principal Investigator)
- Ruth Rechis, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
- Martha Vieco-Garcia, MS
- Rosalind S. Bello, M.A., CPHQ®
- Erica M. Bednar, M.S., M.P.H., C.G.C.
- Kaitlyn Block, M.P.H.
- Monique E. Brown, M.S.R.E.D.
- Blake Harper, M.P.H.
- Barbara Mahinda
UT Center for Health Communication
- Brad Love, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)
- Lauren Kriss, Ph.D.
- Catherine Cunningham, M.S.
- Ellen Shin, B.F.A
- Jennifer Graham
- Saakshi Kamalahasan
- Jessica Hughes Wagner, M.P.H., MCHES® (former CHC Deputy Director)
Lauren Kriss 