PanCAN volunteers are the heart of connecting communities with life-saving resources and support. For many Hispanic families, language, cultural traditions and healthcare access can sometimes create barriers to receiving vital cancer information. By leading with cultural understanding, compassion, and respect, volunteers can break down those barriers and make a lasting impact.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, is a meaningful opportunity to honor the Hispanic community and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all people affected by pancreatic cancer have access to the resources they need and deserve.

1. Prioritize Language Access

Language is one of the first bridges to building trust. PanCAN is committed to supporting Spanish-speaking communities by offering many of its resources in Spanish – starting with the PanCAN website, which is fully accessible in Spanish. Be sure to explore the site yourself so you’re familiar with its layout and can easily guide others to it when needed. In addition to the website, PanCAN offers several downloadable and printable materials in Spanish, including an overview of PanCAN Patient Services. You can find these on Volunteer Central. We’re excited to share that we’ve added a Spanish-language toolkit to our Be Aware, Reduce Your Risk toolkits. Take some time to review what’s available. And speaking of Patient Services, be sure to let your communities know that there are Spanish-speaking Case Navigators available if they need them! Check out this great PanCAN blog post to read about a case involving a Spanish-speaking caller and the PanCAN Case Manager who helped them.
Providing materials in Spanish – whether it’s brochures, flyers or a translated website – ensures families understand their options clearly and feel seen and supported.

Finally, try to recruit a bilingual volunteer in your affiliate! If you're bilingual, your ability to communicate directly in Spanish can be invaluable. And if your affiliate doesn’t currently include a bilingual volunteer, don’t worry – reach out to your staff partner or VAC member. We’ll do our best to connect you with someone who can help.

2. Partner with Trusted Community Hubs

Faith-based organizations, community centers, cultural associations and local Hispanic-owned businesses are often trusted gathering places. Start by using their messaging boards for your PanCAN materials if they have them. Ask the appropriate religious leaders if you can post the Patient Services poster. Then, see if they’d be willing to take it a step further with a lunch and learn at a future community event. By hosting educational workshops or resource tables in these spaces, volunteers can meet people where they already feel comfortable and connected. Other community hubs:

• Church or Place of Worship (check in with their Health Ministry, prayer groups, or Adult Fellowship groups)
• Public health fairs (free vaccination clinics)
• Local cancer support groups (check with your local hospital’s support groups)
• Local recreation/senior centers/veterans’ organizations

3. Leverage Media and Social Platforms

Spanish-language radio, newspapers and television stations remain powerful tools in many Hispanic communities. In my affiliate, the most receptive groups to our messages have been Spanish-language media groups. Check in on Volunteer Central for the Spanish media content such as PanCAN’s Spanish PSA. Reach out to them to see if they can share PanCAN awareness messages like November Awareness initiatives or simply PanCAN’s signs and symptoms information. And of course, get your social media chair involved! Have them check back in with those community hubs/partners and ask them to share our PanCAN social media content for a bigger audience reach. It’s as easy as clicking “Share.”

6. Share Survivor Stories from Hispanic Volunteers/Supporters

Personal stories resonate across cultures, but they can be especially impactful in building trust in Hispanic communities. Inviting Hispanic cancer survivors and caregivers to share their journeys in Spanish or English can inspire hope and highlight the importance of early detection, screening and support. Make sure to ask them if they’d be willing to share their stories with your local Spanish-speaking media outlet. Social media chair's can also take a family-centered approach with their posts by highlighting a Hispanic and/or Spanish-speaking PanCAN survivor, caregiver or supporter. It can be helpful to include family members as well, who play a vital role in health decisions and care.

Reaching the Hispanic community with PanCAN resources takes more than translation – it takes true connection. When volunteers approach outreach with cultural humility, respect and genuine care, they can help break down barriers and ensure life-saving information reaches those who need it most. National Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to strengthen these connections and honor the commitment to serving every family impacted by pancreatic cancer.