Newswise — MIAMI, FLORIDA (June 3, 2024) – Estelamari Rodriguez, M.D., M.
P.H. , is the recipient of the Patient Educator of the Year award from Cancer GRACE (Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education).
The award was presented May 31 in Chicago in recognition of Rodriguez’s work in breaking down language barriers around the world by creating Spanish-language educational content about lung cancer for patients and caregivers. As a physician and a Latina, Rodriguez, a bilingual thoracic oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center , part of the University of Miami Health System, has seen firsthand the ways that language barriers often prevent Spanish-speaking patients from receiving optimal care. Since 2020, she has created Spanish-language video content and seminars for GRACE.
She’s covered a wide range of lung cancer topics, including advances in targeted therapies and the newest research on biomarker testing, immunotherapy and emerging therapies. Her goal is to provide information that will help Spanish-speaking lung cancer patients communicate their concerns to health care providers and make better treatment decisions for themselves. “It is a great honor to receive this award from the GRACE patient advocacy group,” Rodriguez said.
“Educated patients are the best self-advocates.” GRACE has presented the Patient Educator of the Year award annually since 2018. It recognizes an oncologist who has gone above and beyond in educating and empowering patien.