Ikram Faroug

A highlight from my time here at Fred Hutch is the Public Health talk presented by Kathy Briant from the Health Disparities Research Center. She shared the amazing work that she and her colleagues do in Sunnyside, WA with people disadvantged by the health care system. They emphasize CBP in their outreach, which is an incredible partnership approach to research that equitably involves the community.

The Center for Community Health Promotion (CCHP) is located in Sunnyside, WA. It is home to the community outreach team for the Thompson Studies group. The CCHP leads different projects funded by Fred Hutch to work with the community in order to reduce the health disparities experienced by American Indians and Hispanics in the Lower Yakima Valley of Eastern Washington State.

The CCHP conducted a pesticide exposure study with the families of the farm workers and had a high participation in the collection of data. These families were very willing and cooperative throughout the process in providing their urine, dust from their homes, and many other tests. I believe that the successful turnout was because of the exceptional relationship Fred Hutch established with the community as well as the trust instilled in the trained health promoters who were encouraging and resourceful to the participants throughout the entire study. This stood out to me because I believe that health disparit is a global issue and making a difference locally by connecting with Sunnydale is a big step.