Wednesday, August 8, 2007

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY HONORS LOCAL ACTIVIST

(San Bernardino, Calif.) Phyllis Clark, founder and director of the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference, has received statewide recognition for her efforts to fight cancer in the Black and Latino community.
Clark will receive the Harold P. Freeman Outreach Award from the American Cancer Society California Division at a luncheon in Oakland, Thursday, June 28. She is one of three people in California who will receive the honor.
The award honors individuals for exemplary achievement in bringing cancer awareness activities to diverse and medically underserved populations.
Clark has been fighting cancer for 20 years since she lost her mother to colon cancer. She has channeled her energy into raising awareness about cancer, and other health issues, in the African American community. Clark is also corporate partners and events manager for the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award because I feel am doing what I was called to do since I lost my mother,” Clark said. “I’m trying to do whatever I can to eliminate cancer. Receiving this award confirms I am doing something right and touching lives.”
Clark is also the founder of the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference, an interactive Afrocentric health fair. Currently in its third year, the next conference is at California Baptist University, located at 8432 Magnolia in Riverside, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, July 28.
Clark said the goal of the conference is to encourage African Americans to lead healthier lifestyles.
“Many of the diseases that African Americans suffer from are lifestyle related,” Clark said. “If we change our behavior, and change the behavior of the next generation, we can prevent many of these life-shortening health problems. The goal of this conference is to provide African Americans with the tools to make better lifestyles choices.”
“Although the information is targeted at the African American community, the conference is open to all nationalities,” Clark said.
For more information about the Healthy Heritage Wellness Conference call (951) 565-4431 or e-mail hhwcmovement@yahoo.com.