The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers’ (MAPS)’ team is off and running for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!
MAPS will be participating in the 19th Annual Komen Massachusetts Race for the Cure, a 5K walk/run in honor of survivors, victims and people fighting breast cancer. The race will take place Sunday, Oct. 30, starting at 10 a.m., at Joe Moakley Park in South Boston.
Even if you can’t do the entire race, just a few blocks are enough to show your support! You can join the MAPS CARES Race Team, volunteer at the MAPS event information table, or make an online donation. All donations will help research to find a cure for breast cancer. For more information or to sign up, please contact Anabela C. Quelha, MSC, Director of Disease Prevention Education Programs at MAPS, at (617) 787-0557 or aquelha@maps-inc.org.
MAPS’ Breast Cancer Prevention Program, funded by the Susan G. Komen Massachusetts Affiliate, targets underserved and uninsured Portuguese-speaking women, including Brazilians, Cape Verdeans, Portuguese and others, in greater Boston and surrounding areas. Staff provide community outreach and education on breast cancer, including referrals to screening and other services; individual counseling; and follow-up services, including translation, interpretation and clinical escorts.
“Our goal is to significantly reduce the linguistic and cultural barriers that prevent high-risk, low-income women from receiving accurate, thorough information on breast health and accessing screening and other medical services,” said Quelha. “We want to promote prevention, early detection and treatment for women in this consistently underserved population.”
MAPS is a private, nonprofit organization providing culturally and linguistically competent health and social services for Portuguese speakers since 1970. For more information, visit www.maps-inc.org.