Hope for Cancer Patients in Los Angeles
Founders, staff, volunteers and collaborators of Saath USA
Saath is a newly formed organization in Southern California that arose from an unmet need: To better serve South Asians who have cancer or are faced with a cancer diagnosis. Saath meaning together, collective action, or one voice, was started by an unlikely combination of people: a lawyer, a health educator, a community advocate and a cancer survivor - all with a passion to make a difference. The group was inspired by co-founder, survivor, and nationally recognized cancer advocate Jina Peiris and her journey with cancer. Her advocacy has also been influential in ensuring South Asian cancer survivors have a voice in the provision of high-quality, culturally appropriate cancer care.
The founders’ personal involvement with cancer, tireless efforts and credibility helped Saath receive a grant from the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) through a UCLA research partnership. The grant’s principal investigators include nationally known cancer researcher Dr. Roshan Bastani, Zul Surani of Saath and National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service (CIS), Dr. Beth Glenn and doctoral candidate Ms. Neetu Chawla of UCLA, who are at the forefront in assessing the community’s needs in cancer support and prevention.
After interviewing 40 cancer survivors and community leaders representative of South Asian cultural and religious diversity, the needs of this population were uncovered for the very first time. According to UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center and Principal Investigator Beth Glenn: “Cancer patients have multiple needs: they face stigma daily in their families and communities, (they) don’t get access to best possible treatment, (and) if they don’t speak English, they encounter hardship and difficulties.”
Loraine Agustin, Saath’s Manager of Programs explains the gap in cancer service identified in the assessment: “We also uncovered a lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate information and services that can greatly increase prevention and early detection of cancer. Over 80% of South Asians polled in the community by Saath didn’t know who to turn to if they were in need of free or low cost screening services mammogram for example,” says Agustin.
The success of this initial research study has led to a new grant (2008-2010) from CBCRP to develop a program to better serve those most in need. Saath, with help from internationally reputable experts (such as Dr. Bastani) will probably be the first in the country to develop such a program for South Asian breast cancer survivors.
“At this point we realize that we can’t do this important work alone,” says Surani, one of Saath’s co-founders and Director, who brings 14 years of community health and cancer experience to Saath. “We need to reach out and form partnerships with community, faith leaders and foundations that care to build on our work. We have a simple goal: to make a difference by getting the latest advances out to our communities so they can benefit’. “We also seek to make a difference in the way services are delivered through advocacy and by informing research priorities by staying engaged but armed with credible information” says Surani. “It may take some time, but together we can build a healthier community,” says Madhuri Mistry, a PR/Media volunteer for Saath and one of its co-founders.
Saath invites you to join its efforts in helping our communities fight cancer. If you want information on how cancer affects South Asians, you can reach Saath at (866) 459-8474 or visit us at www.saathusa.org.
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