The University of Illinois Cancer Center was deeply honored to be recognized by our community partner Equal Hope at the organization’s 2024 Celebrating Life Gala.
The Cancer Center was recognized as “Healthcare Champion for Health Equity” and Cancer Center Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement Yamile Molina, PhD, was recognized as the “Individual Champion for Health Equity” at the June 20 event.
Equal Hope, and its Executive Director Paris Thomas, PhD, are vital partners of the Cancer Center with deep involvement in and support for our intersecting efforts to erase cancer disparities. Equal Hope was part of the Cancer Center’s inaugural Hope Leaders cohort, a program dedicated to building bidirectional relationships between scientists and community organizations.
Equal Hope + Cancer Center
Just like the Cancer Center, Equal Hope has always been committed to eliminating racial disparities in cancer. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2008 as the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force after published research illustrated how racial disparities in breast cancer deaths plagued the city. In the 16 years since, Equal Hope’s tireless work to save lives by eliminating health inequities has continued and expanded with the Cancer Center, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and UI Health by its side.
The organization now navigates women to breast and cervical cancer screenings and care; connects people to vaccination sites so they are protected against HPV and COVID-19; provides robust community outreach and education; and, most recently, is working with the Cancer Center to create awareness and understanding of research clinical trials so diverse populations have knowledge of and equitable access to new cancer treatments.