San Diego Día de la Mujer Latina Health Festival 

The San Diego “Día de la Mujer Latina” Heath Festival on November 7, 2009 was a huge success! More than 400 people gathered at Wells Park in El Cajon and received free screenings, health information and resources to enhance their families’ well-being. The community response and participation proves that preventive services are most welcome and very much needed in our local community.

The festival provided breast cancer early detection exams (mammography and clinical breast exam), cholesterol and glucose exams, vision and HIV testing.

We couldn’t have done it without our sponsors: Kaiser Permanente, Día de la Mujer Latina, Inc. and Wells Fargo/El Cajon.

Thanks also to Univision Radio (La Nueva and Recuerdo), Azteca America San Diego 15/10News, Radio Latina, XEWT Channel 12, T33 Telemundo, KBNT – Univsion, and El Latino for helping us publicize the event to those who needed our services the most.

Stay tuned for more info on our next health fair in May, 2010!

See 10News Health Fair Segment. Download here.

See Health Fair Public Service Announcement here.

Día de la Mujer Latina, (Day of the Latin American Woman-DML) was officially organized in 1997 under the leadership of Venus Ginés with the implementation of the first Latina wellness event.  MANA de San Diego created the first San Diego Día de la Mujer Latina (SDDML) in 2004.

This health and wellness event serves the health needs of the underserved Latino community in San Diego and is coordinated by members and volunteers in partnership with local health agencies and programs.  

The trends in percentages of California women 40 years and older ever receiving a mammogram are promising. However, disparities in screening are still pervasive with lower screening rates in groups of limited formal education and low socioeconomic level.  In addition, lower screening rates are reported in Latino, Asian and other ethnic groups compared to African American and white communities.  The San Diego Día de la Mujer Latina targets the Latino communities in San Diego in which breast health screening disparities are most pronounced.