Latinas and Latinos

Circulo de Vida
In the field of cancer, many of the inroads to increasing language-specific psychosocial support in the San Francisco Bay Area can be directly attributed to Círculo de Vida Cancer Support and Resource Center. Founded in 1992, Círculo de Vida is the first successful Spanish-language support group program in the greater Bay Area and has since been a model for groups in five Bay Area cities.

Círculo de Vida provides an invaluable and unparalleled service to Latinos living with cancer and their loved ones – most of them immigrants, low-income, and without health insurance – as they navigate a frightening illness and an increasingly complex medical system.

Círculo’s experienced staff helps translate for the patient and physician at the time of diagnosis, offers in-hospital and in-home support during surgery and treatment, provides a wide range of Spanish-language support groups for the patients and their children, as well as case management, resource referrals, and in-home support for the terminally ill.

Círculo de Vida Cancer Support and Resource Center’s clinical model is based on a culturally-competent cognitive behavioral approach infused with values reflective of Latinos, such as familismo (the importance of the family unit), personalismo (the importance of warm, interpersonal relationships), and one-to-one relationship building to develop confianza (trust). The approach involves mental and behavioral techniques that improve Latinos’ self-efficacy, optimistic outlook, perceptions of social support, and adaptive coping strategies.

Dia de la Mujer Latina, Inc.
Promotes breast health awareness to the underserved Latina community by providing a culturally appropriate setting for early detection, screening, preventive care and information for follow-up services.