亞裔婦女健康會（Asian Women For Health）三月廿七日在塔芙茨醫療中心舉辦「感謝亞裔會（AppreciASIANS）」，表揚魯家珍，甄碧鳳，胡涵婷，說明該會從為亞裔患癌婦女提供支援開始，現已擴大為全方位的促進婦女健康。
近百名出席者，當晚欣賞錄影片，聆聽患癌者，支持者，各從不同角度談感受，都認為難得出現了一個關注亞裔婦女健康組織，讓許多人獲益。
亞裔婦女健康會創辦者黃千姬，本身是乳癌幸存者，原本辦理亞裔乳癌項目（Asian
Breast Cancer Project），以她曾有的親身經歷，更切中要點的為患乳癌婦女提供精神支持，協助他們獲取適當醫療服務等，去年才以教育（Educate）、倡議（Advocate）、報答（Reciprocate）為標語，擴大為亞裔婦女健康會。
Friends
of Mel基金會是亞裔婦女健康會的第一個捐款者。該會行政主任Paulin Alighieri這晚擔任主講人。她透露去年參加亞裔婦女健康會活動，聽到亞裔婦女分享得知患癌後的恐懼，礙於語言障礙，和醫護人員難以溝通時的無助，深受震撼，也為亞裔婦女健康會的致力為這些婦女提供各種幫助而感動。
Friends
of Mel基金會原本就是個以“梅爾手環（Mels Bracelet)“籌款，支持癌症患者的機構。該會當晚宣佈，再捐款一千元之外，六月份的出售梅爾手環收入，也將捐給亞裔婦女健康會。
當晚亞裔婦女健康會頒發”同儕領導獎“給魯家珍，”社區服務獎給甄碧鳳，最佳醫德獎給胡涵婷。
魯家珍和甄碧鳳都是曾患乳癌。甄碧鳳坦言，自己得四期乳癌，已是大約廿年前的事，但最近妹妹也得乳癌，讓她親眼見到廿年來醫療技術與知識的改進。當年醫生要她待在家裡，兩個星期不吃東西，現在醫生卻讓他妹妹照樣出門，還什麼都能吃。她勸患癌者別老想著自己可能不久於人世。
魯家珍目前仍在治療中。她透露身體多處，仍因癌病時感疼痛，但經由亞裔癌症項目的協助，認識了很多同病相憐者，也學會了放開心懷，藉著做義工來轉移注意力，不但精神好了許多，心情也更快樂。
胡涵婷是因為對癌症患者無微不至的關懷，廣獲好評。許多出席會議者聽說她下個月將回台灣出任教職，都感到依依不捨。
即將到華府做證，籲請國會增加癌症研究經費的Vandana Sharma，當晚應黃千姬邀請到會，述說即使只是出門搭便車，也不宜搭男性駕駛的車等文化習俗，讓患癌的她遭遇更多生活困難。她邊說邊流淚，令人難過，也更感到抗癌需要許多勇氣。
亞裔婦女健康會目前有黃千姬，陳寶來（Selena Tan），陳王錫萍，曾惠珠，袁立達，Sujata
Ghosh等六名董事，將於五月十六日在西蒙斯學院參加第五屆亞太裔太平洋島民精神健康論壇，五月廿一日在塔芙茨大學舉辦第二屆“麻州亞裔婦女健康狀況”會議。
圖片說明：
黃千姬（左二）頒獎表揚左起，甄碧鳳，胡涵婷，魯家珍。（菊子攝）
感謝會主講人，Friends of Mel基金會行政主任Paulin Alighieri（前中）和部分出席者合影。（菊子攝）
亞裔婦女健康會董事，左起，袁立達，陳寶來，Sujata
Ghosh，黃千姬，曾惠珠，陳王錫萍。（菊子攝）
華客符音合唱團演唱“花開花落”。（菊子攝）
Vandana Sharma述說自己患癌後的經歷。（菊子攝）下為主辦機構事後發出的電子郵件報告：
Over 100 of us were there to help celebrate AWFH's collective accomplishments in the past year. It gave me great pleasure to present this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVezP7E_37c, and to hear the inspirational stories shared by our members and supporters.
Our keynote speaker, Pauline Alighieri, the Executive Director of Friend of Mel Foundation, one of the first donors to AWFH, pledged continued support with a $1,000 gift and also named AWFH the recipient of "Mel's Magic": Purchase bead bracelets during the month of June to benefit AWFH!
We have created a new community in which Asian women aspire to lead happy, healthy lives through peer education, advocacy and support. If you share the same vision, please join us in advancing our mission by volunteering and contributing to our common cause.
By practicing the "Daffodil Principle" every day - as long as we stay focused and persistent with acts small and large, we will make a big impact together.
News/Upcoming Events:
JEarley's Brookline Hair Salon donated "Style, Allure & Rejuvenate" Monday series of 30-minute workshops held between 9am-1pm, with all proceeds to benefit AWFH ($15/workshop or $60 for the entire series, waivers available for cancer survivors and patients by request.) This is a perfect gift for yourself or your friends, and you may book your preferred date(s) and time(s) via jearleyshairsalon@gmail.com or by calling 617-734-4247:
- 3/31: Hair Styling, how to blow dry, use products and hair trims
- 4/14: Makeup, lips, eyes, eye brows
- 4/21: Hair/Wig, styling & cutting in shape
- 4/28: Skincare, foundations for skin & balancing tone
- 5/5: How to decide the right cut for you or your wig style
- 5/12: Hair cut & color type for you & your skin type
5th AAPI Mental Health Forum "Healing through Arts: Breaking Silences & Lifting Spirits" CEU available
Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
for more information, email: COStaffDev@massmail.state.ma.us
Wednesday, May 21, 8-4pm
2nd State of Asian Women's Health in MA
Tufts University, Sackler Building, Room 114
145 Harrison Ave., Boston 02111
Jean Yang, the ED of Health Connector and Lisa Wong, Mayor of Fitchburg, will be keynote speakers!
Register to attend now at http://2014awhinma.eventbrite.com
Sponsors and advertisers please contact: cch@asianwomenforhealth.org
During month of June, buy bracelets for yourself and as gifts and benefit AWFH here: Friend of Mel Foundation
Saturday, June 7, 3-6pm
ExprASIANS Talent Show and Fair to benefit ABC Project
Boston Medical Center, Shapiro Ambulatory Care lobby
Performers, volunteers and exhibitors please contact: cch@asianwomenforhealth.org
In the coming weeks, we will post conference presentations and notes at www.asianwomenforhealth.org. We'll let you know when they are available.
We still have more to do:
- To keep the conversation going, we will hold focus groups in targeted communities to gather more granular information on the gaps that most impact our ability to improve and maintain our health and wellness. If you are interested in helping us organize a focus group let me know at: cch@asianwomenforhealth.org.
- If
you've already raised your hand to volunteer, we will be contacting you
to help prepare for the upcoming events, and for our 2nd annual
fundraiser in October. Let us know if you want to volunteer in any of
these areas:
- Resource Development/Fundraising
- Financial Management/Operations
- Event Planning
- Communication/Social Media/Outreach
- Research/Data Gathering
- IT/Database Management
- Translation/Interpretation
- Providing Transportation
- Providing/Preparing Food
- If you would like to attend the Annual Board Meeting on the evening of 6/18, please let me know.
- Like us on Facebook!
- Tell others about AWFH and what we're doing.
Chien-Chi Huang
Executive Director
Asian Women for Health
Educate. Advocate. Reciprocate.
www.asianwomenforhealth.org
Direct line: 617-870-4056
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