Dorothy I. Height Center for Health Equity & Evaluation Research

11/03/2024

TJ 2.0 , aka Cole Allen, delivered an exceptional performance in his high school final football game at St. John's School held at Rice University stadium, despite not securing a win against The Kinkaid School. The game was intense until the very end. TJ 2.0 Game Statistics: * 32 Carries * 237 Rushing Yards * 3 Touchdowns These numbers put him at #1 in the NATION for Touchdowns Scored and Total Points, and #3 in the NATION for Rushing Yards after 10 games played, according to MaxPreps. Additionally, TJ 2.0 ranks eighth all-time in Texas High School Football Records with 121 Touchdowns scored throughout his high school football career.

Here are the highlights of his final final football game for St. John's School.

Now on to Harvard.

Watch the latest highlight videos for the St. John's Varsity Football team

10/04/2024

Cole started play tackle football as a quarterback in the 2nd grade thru middle school, basketball, T-Ball and soccer before starting Kindergarten. We remember him shooting hoops and hitting balls right after he walked. Now 16 years later, according to his dad’s records, Cole is three touchdowns away from hitting 100 touchdowns during his high school career.

08/27/2024

lm had the pleasure of attending Rick’s Retirement Celebration today. Yes, Rick is retiring after 34 years at the University of Texas at MD Anderson Cancer Center. If you count in the time when he first started graduate school it will be a total of almost 40 years, with 28 years with my group.

The first picture contains some of the members of that group with a picture taken in 2010during National Minority Cancer Awareness Week.

The next picture is us trying to recreate the picture from 2010 with those members who were able to attend the celebration in 2024

06/29/2024

Hi Melinda Wunsch Dilger:

I thought I would share this Facebook post I received from your mother on this date 14 years ago

“Dr. J.....I hate to hear your report. I believe, even a little change is good and you have no idea, or maybe you do, how many people you have touched in your striving to reach the goal. Other people have been touched by what you and others have been able to accomplish and will be that way for a long time. You have kept the bar high and sometime, someone will be affected by hearing just one speaker and their whole life's work will be changed because they heard a speaker at one of the workshops. Sorry it didn't reach your expectations but keep the faith
Sherry”

Sherry (Sherry Wunsch) was responding to a Facebook posting following the 2010 Disparities in Health in America: Working Towards Social Justice Workshop

“Oh well the more things change the more they remain the same. I still fear that health disparities will go the way of sickle anemia, once the money is gone the people are gone and the communities who should have benefited will continue to suffer. Unfortunately, this time it will be more than just the underserved and the venerble, it will be America
itself.”

Sherry is on the far left hand side. I had the privilege of wearing her late husband cowboy hat to one of the major ignagural balls for President George W. Bush #43.

05/03/2024

I once had pictures and videos of Cole playing basketball at 1 and 1/2 years old, but they were lost when I lost my Blackberry. Now, in his junior year, he's receiving college offers, starting with the Air Force Academy and West Point, followed by UNLV, HCU, and Brown. I thought these offers wouldn't come until the fall of his senior year.

04/02/2024

Natalibeth Barrera was one of our international visitors to the CRMH. The Consul General of Ecuador reached out to us about forming an academic partnership with institutions in their country. The Consul sent a delegation of individuals, including Natalibeth Barrera, to spend time in the center. Natalibeth is second from the left on the front role.

03/19/2024

It truly came as a shock to learn of the recent death of another friend. I first met Guillermo Tortolero when we both were on the faculty of U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. We have remained friends ever since. My deepest condolences to his family. He truly will be missed.

03/19/2024

It truly came as a shock to learn of the recent death of another friend. I first met Guillermo Tortolero when we both were on the faculty of U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. We have remained friends ever since. My deepest condolences to his family. He truly be missed.

ICC INTERCULTURAL
CANCER COUNCIL

In Memoriam: Dr. Guillermo Tortolero-Luna

It is with a heavy heart that the Intercultural Cancer Council mourns the passing of Dr. Guillermo Tortolero-Luna, a longstanding and one of the founding members of the Intercultural Cancer Council. Dr. Tortolero-Luna was a distinguished epidemiologist and cancer researcher whose impact reverberates far and wide in public health and academia. Dr. Luna's remarkable contributions to cancer control and population science have left an indelible mark on the field, shaping the landscape of cancer research in Latin America and the Caribbean.

As the Director of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Science at the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Tortolero-Luna devoted his career to advancing our understanding of cancer epidemiology and improving health outcomes for diverse populations. Under his leadership, the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry flourished as a beacon of excellence, providing vital data and insights to inform the region's cancer prevention and control efforts.

Dr. Luna's commitment to research spanned the entire spectrum of cancer control, from risk factors to survivorship, with a particular focus on the Hispanic population in Puerto Rico and the United States mainland. His dedication to analyzing and addressing disparities in cancer outcomes among underserved communities underscored his passion for promoting health equity and social justice.

A revered educator and mentor, Dr. Luna inspired countless individuals with his boundless curiosity, innovative thinking, and collaborative spirit. His generosity in sharing knowledge and expertise touched the lives of many, instilling a sense of purpose and drive in those he guided and supported. His impact extended beyond borders, as evidenced by his active involvement in international cancer registry activities and collaborations with esteemed organizations such as the (IACR) International Association of Cancer Registries and the (GICR) Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development.

Dr. Luna's influence and legacy will endure through the countless lives he touched and the lasting contributions he made to epidemiology and cancer research. Dr. Tortolero-Luna’s memory will be cherished by all who had the privilege of collaborating with him. We have lost a great scientist, leader, teacher, colleague, and friend, but his spirit will continue to inspire us to strive for excellence, compassion, and collaboration in all that we do.

In honoring Dr. Tortolero Luna, we pay tribute to a visionary and trailblazer whose legacy will continue to shape the future of cancer research and public health. May his remarkable achievements and profound impact serve as a guiding light for generations to come.

Rest in peace, Dr. Guillermo Tortolero-Luna. Your legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those you inspired and mentored.

09/07/2022

08/15/2022

Our beloved Mindy!!

Today's Dedication of Special Tree In Honor of Rev. Mindy Lawrence Curtiss by UIC Leadership Team

“One day when you wake up, you will find that you have become a forest. You have grown roots and found strength in them that no one thought you had. You have become stronger and more beautiful, full of life- giving qualities. You have learned to take all the negativity around you and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing. You have become an incredible self -sustaining thing of epic proportions. And you should be so proud of yourself.” Dolly Parton

Our Rev. Mindy Lawrence Curtiss is the embodiment of this strength which is symbolized by this tree which we as the leadership of Unity in the Community dedicate to her today. Together she helped a small group of us birth and grow our beloved, Unity in the Community. UIC was born out of a desire to do more and be an active force for good in our local community, or “to be the feet and hands of spirit out in the world”. We are grateful for Rev. Mindy’s tender heart, her dedication to service, her commitment to UIC, and her love of making a difference.

Over the last nine years, Unity in the Community has distributed food to thousands of families in need in our local communities; partnered with the Beacon homeless day shelter to help those who are homeless; and sponsored numerous annual events (i.e. back-to-school fairs/school uniform drive, mentoring, holiday/Christmas giving) to benefit students at our local K through eighth grade school, Pilgrim Academy.

05/13/2016

HDEART FOUNDATION NEWS