Real People, Real Life, Real Stories from the Su Familia Helpline
Helping A Spanish Man Seeking Assistance For An Eye Condition
A Spanish-speaking male from Santa Ana, CA contacted the Su Familia Helpline in need of assistance to access health care for an eye condition. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa around 8 years ago. At the time of diagnosis, he was informed this is a rare inherited condition that can slowly impair his visual ability.
He has not sought regular medical care because his visual symptoms had not been so noticeable as they are lately evolving. He is now losing the range of his peripheral vision and sometimes bumps into objects around his surroundings, last year had two car accidents and has fallen several times. He also reported diabetes and high cholesterol not treated as they should be.
The HPA stressed the need of having close-eye care to benefit from the possible new levels of care for his condition. He was also strongly recommended to become compliant with diabetes and cholesterol treatment to decrease further damage to his visual health that may worsen if he develops diabetic retinopathy. He was referred to local community clinics and to the American Foundation for the Blind which helps to improve the life quality of those affected by vision loss.
Helping A Spanish Female Seeking Financial Assistance For Infertility Treatment
A Spanish-speaking female from Halethorpe, MD contacted the Su Familia Helpline asking for financial assistance for infertility treatment. The caller was distressed and tearful after being told in her last medical follow-up appointment her test results revealed bilateral non-reversible obstruction of her ovaries that prevent her from becoming pregnant again. She was advised on the option of having an in-vitro fertilization or IVF but the information received on the cost average for this procedure is totally out of her family income.
She is uninsured and was looking for any financial assistance or payment plan that could make it possible to afford the procedure. The HPA provided the caller with emotional support while searching online for the availability of local fertility treatments for uninsured people. It was possible to locate and confirm the access to low-cost plans for in vitro fertilization offered by Shady Grove Fertility Clinic.
The HPA provided the caller with the direct contact information to reach a bilingual customer assistant at the clinic that may help her to apply for the low-price fertility services. The caller was very appreciative of the services we provided to her.
Providing a Spanish man with information on colon cancer
A Spanish-speaking male from Chicago, IL contacted the Su Familia Helpline to ask some questions about the health of an aunt of his just after reading the BSC postcard on colon cancer. His aunt who is a 90-year-old survivor of colon cancer complains of intermittent periods of diarrhea that do not improve with home remedies or over-the-counter medications. The caller was unsure when his aunt underwent the last colonoscopy but said it was normal.
The HPA offered to him more information on colon cancer and emphasized the need to seek prompt medical care for his aunt to rule out the cause of her diarrhea. He was provided with a couple of referrals where she can be seen and referred to specialty care if needed.
The HPA also provided him with information about the Spanish helpline of the American Cancer Society as a resource for updated news on how to maintain a healthy life when surviving a cancer diagnosis. The caller was grateful for the information received and will now schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider for his aunt.
1-866-Su Familia
Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline provides free reliable and confidential health information in Spanish and English to help callers navigate the health system. Staffed by bilingual health promotion advisors who provide basic information on a wide range of health topics. Additionally, our up-to-date database includes over 14,660 providers enabling health promotion advisors to refer callers to health care services in their community.