The book recently was distributed to more than 1,200 pediatricians attending the II International Pediatric Updates Symposium, a three-day conference held in Cartagena, Colombia.

The book also has received praise from Hispanic groups.

“The National Hispanic Medical Association applauds the making of the book, “Vaccine-Preventable Disease: The Forgotten Story,” said Dr. Ciro V. Sumaya, board chairman of the NHMA and author of the book’s forward. “The powerful message in these personal stories is the genuine petition to the public—including the poor and vulnerable, young and old—to get immunized.”

The families featured in the stories give an intimate view of just how infectious and fatal vaccine-preventable diseases can be. As advocates for vaccines, these families share the longstanding impact the diseases had on their lives and tell why it is so important to adhere to recommended vaccine schedules.

The Sotos, one of the families in the book, sat anxiously at daughter Sydney’s side as she battled pandemic H1N1 influenza for 28 days in the hospital. Twelve-year-old Sydney had symptoms of nausea, fatigue and a fever above 100 degrees. The worsening of her ailments eventually led to the diagnosis of H1N1 influenza. Soto was then placed on a ventilator, experienced respiratory failure and even had double pneumonia. Fortunately, after intensive medical treatment, her health improved and she continues to recover.

The H1N1 influenza vaccine became available for Sydney’s age group a week after she contracted the disease. Sydney and her family shared their story with the hope that another child doesn’t have to suffer from a disease that can be prevented.

“I shudder to think how much guilt I would feel if I had refused the vaccine and then watched her go through this experience,” said Linda Soto, Sydney’s mom. “Sydney almost died.”

Copies of the book are available for purchase at here. All proceeds from the sale of vaccine books and posters go directly toward the cost of producing future editions.

Earlier this year, a resolution was unanimously passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate designating September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, to bring attention to this growing epidemic.

Mexican-American children are more likely to be obese or overweight (38%) than children overall (31.9%), putting them at greater risk for chronic disease and shorter lifespans.

In repsonse, Salud America! formed in 2008 to increase the number of researchers, policy-makers and community leaders engaged in research to prevent obesity among Latino children. We have:

• Developed a network of more than 1,600 people interested in preventing Latino childhood obesity.
• Developed first National Latino Child Obesity Research Agenda.
• Funded, through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 20 pilot research projects working in and with Latino communities on a variety of nutrition, physical activity and policy issues.
• Developed the SaludToday Web site and blog to spread positive Latino health stories and messages.

And we’ve also produced an award-winning dramatic video that uses shocking statistics and actual child voices to document the multi-faceted epidemic of Latino childhood obesity, “Did You Know?/¿Sabía Usted?”

Watch the video in English here or below, or in Spanish.

Webinars on Obesity
The Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity is launching a Webinar series on obesity issues from September 15 to December 8, 2010.

Southern Obesity Summit
The 4th Annual Southern Obesity Summit, set for September 12-14, 2010, in Atlanta, will launch the Southern Strategy, a new way to connect agencies and community based organizations who are implementing the First Lady’s Let’s Move goals.

National Food Policy Conferences
The 33rd National Food Policy Conference, set for September 22-23, 2010, in Washington, D.C., will focus on nutrition and health and explore issues like food labeling.

Obesity Congress
The World Congress 5th Annual Obesity Congress is set for September 28-30, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

Healthy Eating Research Rapid Response Grants
Healthy Eating Research, an RWJF national program, is seeking grant proposals for studies examining policy and environmental strategies that have a strong potential to promote healthy eating among children to prevent obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic populations. Concept papers are due Sept. 1.

NIH Pioneer and New Innovator Awards
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks proposals for 2011 NIH Director’s Pioneer Awards and New Innovator Awards, which support scientists who take innovative, high-impact approaches to major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research. application deadlines are Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, 2010.

Ladder to Leadership
Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders seeks to help local, early- to mid-career professionals serving vulnerable populations develop leadership skills. The next opening, for Kansas City, Mo., is scheduled for Fall 2010.

Active Living Research Grants
Active Living Research, an RWJF national program, is seeking proposals for studies of emerging or anticipated changes in physical activity-related policies or environments. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis. Letters of intent may be submitted until July 1, 2011.

Grant Listings
Several other entities compile a variety of obesity-related research funding opportunities that are currently seeking applications:
NIH Obesity Grants
NCCOR Obesity Grants
Live Smart Texas

In the tele-workshop, expert speakers will discuss updates on metastatic breast cancer, the current standard of care and new treatment approaches, how clinical research improves care, diagnostic testing and technologies, communicating with your health care team, and more.

Other upcoming CancerCare workshops include: The Importance of Clinical Trials, Sept. 24; The Importance of Taking Your Pills on Schedule, Oct. 5; Update on the Treatment of Liver Cancer, Nov. 9. 

The breast cancer workshop is free and no phone charges apply.

To register, visit the CancerCare Web site.

Get all the key facts on Latino smoking from the American Lung Association.

And if you’re a Latino who is thinking about quitting smoking, be sure to check out the Buena Vida health magazine in English or Spanish that tells the stories of five Latinos and how they kicked the habit and what it meant for their lives. The Institute for Health Promotion Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind Salud Today, produced the magazine and other tobacco prevention materials.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., has introduced the third edition of its “Profiles of Latino Health” series, titled

The 12-part weekly series examines critical factors affecting Latino children’s nutrition, including trends in hunger and obesity, as well as family access to healthy foods and other resources that play important roles in children’s nutritional outcomes.

“Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that obesity rates—already alarmingly high—have increased yet again. The nation is also experiencing unprecedented rates of hunger, particularly in the wake of an economic crisis that has devastated many American families,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “America’s children are suffering as a result. As U.S. leaders combat the crises of childhood hunger and obesity, NCLR hopes to inform the national discussion by providing insight into trends within the Latino community.”

Hispanic children currently make up more than one in five children in the U.S. and are expected to represent nearly one in three children by 2030. They are also the hungriest in America—composing almost 40% of the one million children living in hunger. Ironically, they have one of the highest risks of obesity; researchers estimate that nearly two-fifths (38.5%) of Latino children ages two to 19 were overweight or obese in 2008.

Issue 1 of the new series deals with Latino child hunger and family food insecurity.

For more details on NCLR’s series, go here.

Answer: A cancer researcher who also is a Latino.

To that end, the new Latino Training Program for Cancer Control Research (LTPCCR), led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio thanks to a new five-year, $1.57-million grant from the National Cancer Institute, aims to motivate Latinos to get their doctoral degree and become “insider researchers” in the field of cancer control among Latinos.

Right now, few Latinos pursue doctoral degrees or cancer research careers, causing a gap in the amount of researchers examining Latino cancer issues.

The LTPCCR will develop and organize a summer training institute, paid research internships, doctoral application support and mentoring to encourage Latino master’s-level students and professionals—from Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada—to complete doctoral programs and start careers in cancer control research.

“We hope that training new Latino researchers will increase the proportion of Latinos in cancer control research, which in turn will increase the amount of work being done to reduce cancer health inequalities that affect the Latino population,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the IHPR, the team behind SaludToday.

Read more about the new program here.

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday, has been named to a prestigious Council of Experts to help achieve the goals of the National Call to Action on Cancer Prevention and Survivorship.

The National Call to Action (NCTA) was unveiled in 2008 by cyclist and cancer prevention activist Lance Armstrong and four former U.S. Surgeon Generals—Drs. Antonia C. Novello, Joycelyn Elders, David Satcher and Richard H. Carmona—to outline a battle plan in the new war on cancer. The NCTA also serves as a roadmap for cancer survivors, health care professionals, policymakers, employers, educators, insurers, and scientists to identify the best strategies for cancer prevention and survivorship and make both cancer prevention and survivorship a national priority.

The NCTA Council of Experts will provide strategic guidance to the NCTA Community, a collective of individuals and organizations who share the mission of advancing the NCTA by conducting projects focused on improving the health and well-being of the whole person at all stages along the cancer continuum.

“I very honored and excited to join this Council of Experts,” said Dr. Ramirez, who also is co-director of the Cancer Prevention and Population Science research program at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), the UT Health Science Center’s National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. “I believe this council will be able to make great strides in preventing cancer and increasing access to screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship resources throughout the cancer continuum.”

Read more about the council here.

The winning PSAs, “I Admire Them” and “Now You Know,” are 30-second TV spots produced by the IHPR’s Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, a National Cancer Institute network.

These two PSAs and four others were released in late 2009 by Redes to encourage Latinos to learn more about screening tests available for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers by calling the NCI’s toll-free number (1-800-4CANCER). The culturally appropriate PSAs were developed by Redes cancer experts.

All 6 PSAs, which are currently airing on TV stations across the nation and on the SaludToday Web site.

Watch the winning PSA, “I Admire Them,” in English or Spanish or below:

Watch the winning PSA, “Now Your Know,” in English or Spanish or below: