French Hospital patient advocate connects local Spanish-speaking women with breast cancer care 

When Eloisa Medina first started out as a lay patient navigator at French Hospital in San Luis Obispo, she'd visit agricultural fields from Paso Robles to Santa Maria to try to convince hard-to-reach Latina women to get screened for breast cancer.

Still, many would decline the free mammograms, out of fear.

"We'd partner with SLO County Public Health in Paso Robles and I would send out a Ride-On van to pick the patients up and bring them to French Hospital," Medina remembered. "A lot of patients didn't want to get on that white van because they were afraid they were going to be taken to Tijuana. It was a trust issue."

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• PHOTO COURTESY OF DIGNITY HEALTH CENTRAL COAST
• EXPERT NAVIGATOR Eloisa Medina, a lay patient navigator at French Hospital, is on the SLO County Women’s Wall of Fame for her work bringing more breast health care to local immigrant communities.

Medina understood it. As the daughter of Mexican immigrant farmworkers herself, Medina knew firsthand the apprehension that many mixed-status immigrant families feel about seeking medical care.

Language barriers, lack of health insurance, and fear of deportation are just a few of the reasons that can stop underserved immigrant communities from receiving the care that they need.

"For me, I saw that, because [my family] didn't go to the doctor. Our mom was our doctor," Medina said.

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Throughout her near-decade tenure working at French Hospital's Hearst Cancer Resource Center, Medina has fought hard to change that paradigm by closing the gap between the Central Coast immigrant community and its medical system. Specifically, she focuses on guiding women through breast care.

"Basically, I'm a bridge between patients and doctors," she said. "By that, I mean I connect in their language all the information the doctor or organization is providing to that patient regarding their treatment, medication, and any questions they might have. I also coordinate their appointments, transportation, and surgeries, all in their language."

When Medina first started the job, French Hospital offered just a few mammogram clinics each year designed for the Spanish-speaking community. Now, it hosts 10 of them, including two this month—Breast Cancer Awareness Month—on Oct. 5 and 26.

"They don't cost you anything. You will get a mammogram," Medina said. "Remember, early detection saves lives. The earlier we detect something, the earlier we can get you on the right path to survival and recovery."

Participation in the clinics has steadily risen over the years, largely thanks to Medina's efforts. In 2017, the SLO County Commission on the Status of Women recognized Medina for that work, inducting her onto the SLO County Women's Wall of Fame.

"Prior to Eloisa joiningthe team, we did not have any Spanish-speaking navigators. She has been able to reach and assist a previously underserved population with proper preventive measures for breast care," said Sara San-Juan, a French Hospital spokesperson.

French now employs two bilingual navigators, and, according to Medina, "word has gotten out" that the Hearst Cancer Resource Center is a trusted place to receive breast care regardless of one's first language or immigration status.

But getting to that point did not come easy, Medina said.

"Before I came here, a lot of people thought that French Hospital was a private hospital—you wouldn't see a lot of Latinos here. It took me a lot of footwork," she said. "I went to the fields. I went to churches. I went to schools. I went to wherever they'd have me talk to educate the community."

Fears and misconceptions can plague the breast care process from start to finish, Medina said. Overcoming the initial hesitancy to get a breast cancer screening is one thing. But then if a patient gets a cancer diagnosis, she too often feels like survival is impossible.

"Unfortunately, with our community, once they're diagnosed with cancer, often the first thing that comes through their mind is, 'Oh my God, I don't have insurance. I don't have money. I'm just going to go to Mexico and die over there,'" she said. "I sit down with them and explain to them, 'Don't let money or insurance be an issue. If you want to go to Mexico because you want to go to Mexico, that's fine. But if you want treatment, we're here to help you.' Luckily, they stay and they get their treatment."

Medina's success in helping patients navigate their breast cancer care has led to her receiving phone calls from people as far away as Lompoc, Los Angeles, and even other states. She said she tries hard to help each person find a local resource that can serve them.

"I guide them through the web of medical terminology, how to get services if they are uninsured, I kind of empower them to request what they need," she said.

Under California's Every Woman Counts program, any woman older than age 40 is entitled to free breast and cervical cancer screenings and follow-up services, regardless of their insurance status or income.

"We route them through that program, make sure they are enrolled in that program, and we tell them with that program, you can go anywhere to receive a mammogram," Medina said.

Still, Medina has patients who are willing to drive hours to be able to have her as their primary translator and navigator. Regardless of where a patient is receiving breast care, Medina always encourages them to ask for help and have faith that they are entitled to the care they need.

"There are resources," Medina said. "The pharmaceuticals have grants. There are studies that are seeking people. There are ways. You're not alone, and you are important." Δ

Assistant Editor Peter Johnson can be reached at [email protected].