Author Archives: aisalas

Vernal has been a breast cancer advocate for over 31 years. Her advocacy began soon after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Advocacy gave her something to do, that took the focus off her own treatment. She said she wanted to “do something bigger than the cancer itself.” She got...

Faculty and staff from the UNC Department of Urology and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center joined community leaders, advocates, and survivors this spring to support local health events, including rallies organized by the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN), in a statewide initiative focused on prostate cancer education, awareness, and...

Several rural communities in North Carolina continue to experience prostate cancer diagnosis and death rates well above state and national averages. To help address this health gap, the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has been awarded a 2026 Bayer Community Innovation Grant from ZERO Prostate Cancer. UNC Lineberger was one of...

One Community Health Center’s Solution: Mega Day, Mega Opportunities for Cancer Screening  As part of their commitment to accessible health care, Kintegra Health has launched a new program to connect with patients who might otherwise fall through the cracks. Instead of asking patients to navigate multiple cancer screening appointments at different locations, Kintegra bring services together in a family-friendly, convenient location close to where...

On March 18, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) office, in partnership with the Raleigh Housing Authority, hosted a Health and Wellness Fair focused on increasing access to cancer education and preventive health services. Nearly 50 community members attended the four-hour event, which offered health education resources and...

Dr. Sid Sheth’s path into cancer research began with a simple yet powerful goal: helping people feel better. As a physician focused on head and neck cancer, he witnessed firsthand how deeply cancer affects patients and families, and how many unanswered questions remained. That experience motivated him to move beyond...

On the evening of April 11, 2026, the UNC Lineberger Excellence in Advocacy Program (LEAP) hosted its inaugural Advocate Appreciation Dinner, a landmark event dedicated to the individuals who bridge the gap between clinical research and the lived experience of cancer.  The evening served as a formal “thank you” to...

Shortly after moving to North Carolina, Laura Jensen and her husband, Jack Hyer, became deeply interested in the cancer research initiatives at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. What began as a shared curiosity soon grew into a meaningful commitment. Both joined the Board of Visitors, eager to support the...

Researcher Highlight: Rachel Hirschey, PhD, RN, FAAN Associate Professor, School of Nursing For Dr. Rachel Hirschey, the path into cancer research began at the intersection of two very different worlds. For more than a decade, she worked as a nurse caring for patients facing serious illness, limited resources, and overwhelming...