Reaching the Community Through Amigas Unidas

At MetroHealth, we believe in improving lives by bringing health care where it is needed most. That's why we developed Amigas Unidas (Friends United), a bilingual peer-to-peer grassroots volunteer program where Latina women educate other women in their communities about breast cancer.

The program:

• Trains bilingual breast health advocates to become certified Amigas volunteers
• Connects Latina women to the BREAST program for free mammograms and to other community resources
• Organizes small-group bilingual breast cancer education sessions 
  we call charlas, which are held in homes, churches, beauty salons, or community centers

Training

Potential Amigas volunteers are trained in a six-hour bilingual session held once a year on a Saturday at a local church. After becoming certified Breast Health Advocates, volunteers teach their peers in bilingual one-on-one and small group sessions in their homes, churches, health fairs, and beauty salons. To date, about 160 Amigas volunteers have been trained, educating more than 5,000 women on breast self awareness, screening guidelines, and where to find a mammogram in their community. For information on the next training, call 216-778-8557.

"Charlas" (Breast Education Sessions)

Held throughout the year, charlas help to educate the community about breast cancer. At each charla, Amigas Unidas volunteers:

• Show bilingual videos demonstrating self-breast exams
• Practice exams on breast models
• Provide bilingual educational materials
• Serve as a bridge between the community and MetroHealth