Spring Break
Quality of Life Conference held on campus
Quang Do
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: News
The gloomy weather on April 14, made it seem appropriate that people on the second floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Joint Library were there to talk about a depressing matter such as cancer - but the energy out of the conference was a mixture of laughter, information and personal stories of survival.
Saturday was the third annual Quality of Life Conference in the Cultural Heritage Center inside the King Library.
The American Cancer Society's African-American Committee organized the conference.
The event had speakers from the committee, including several San Jose State University alumni, professionals on different types of cancer and various health care experts.
"This is really fantastic," said Yvonne Aronowitz, chair of the African-American Committee. "I enjoy the interaction with people who drove all the way out here despite the rain."
Helena Wind, an international student from China, who is studying accounting at SJSU said, "My friends think this is too serious a topic … but I come here for the information."
The conference had tables along the walls with refreshments, poster boards and stacks of free pamphlets about different types of cancer.
The opening commentary began at 10 a.m. with Sandra McKinney, a member of the South Bay Black Nurses Association and African-American Committee, who welcomed the audience of about 55 people.
"Cancer does not discriminate," said Barbara Wakeley, regional vice president of the American Cancer Society, Silicon Valley and Central Coast Region.
Wakeley said that tobacco and being overweight are two big causes of cancer in the black community.
Barbara Willard, an SJSU assistant professor in nursing, said good health could counter the causes of cancer. She then demonstrated an exercise with the audience on how to walk properly.
Willard said, "Child cancer is still the number one cause of death," not including accidents.
Willard went on to speak about the multiple mutations of leukemia, a sickness in children as a result of immature cells.
Saturday was the third annual Quality of Life Conference in the Cultural Heritage Center inside the King Library.
The American Cancer Society's African-American Committee organized the conference.
The event had speakers from the committee, including several San Jose State University alumni, professionals on different types of cancer and various health care experts.
"This is really fantastic," said Yvonne Aronowitz, chair of the African-American Committee. "I enjoy the interaction with people who drove all the way out here despite the rain."
Helena Wind, an international student from China, who is studying accounting at SJSU said, "My friends think this is too serious a topic … but I come here for the information."
The conference had tables along the walls with refreshments, poster boards and stacks of free pamphlets about different types of cancer.
The opening commentary began at 10 a.m. with Sandra McKinney, a member of the South Bay Black Nurses Association and African-American Committee, who welcomed the audience of about 55 people.
"Cancer does not discriminate," said Barbara Wakeley, regional vice president of the American Cancer Society, Silicon Valley and Central Coast Region.
Wakeley said that tobacco and being overweight are two big causes of cancer in the black community.
Barbara Willard, an SJSU assistant professor in nursing, said good health could counter the causes of cancer. She then demonstrated an exercise with the audience on how to walk properly.
Willard said, "Child cancer is still the number one cause of death," not including accidents.
Willard went on to speak about the multiple mutations of leukemia, a sickness in children as a result of immature cells.
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