Healthy Collaborations with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

SACSS office transformed into a mini health hub — bringing preventive care directly to our community. Thanks to an incredible 10-person team from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, over 100 community members received free health screenings, including take-home colorectal cancer FIT kits. Services were offered in multiple languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, and English, ensuring that language was not a barrier to care.

This kind of access is vital. In many of the communities we serve, older adults often dismiss signs of illness — stomach pain, fatigue, changes in digestion — as stress, poor diet, or simply part of aging. But these symptoms can sometimes point to something more serious, like colorectal cancer, which is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early.

Still, far too many people put off screenings or never get them at all. Without insurance, even a basic doctor’s visit can feel financially overwhelming. For many, working multiple jobs or caring for family, taking time off for medical appointments isn’t just inconvenient — it’s nearly impossible. And when language barriers are added on top, navigating the healthcare system can feel intimidating or even unsafe.

That’s why this event mattered. Free, multilingual, community-based care removes the fear and the guesswork. It helps people feel seen, heard, and cared for — without the stress of costs, paperwork, or translation struggles. It gives them the tools to take their health seriously, on their terms.

We’re grateful to the team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for showing what equity in healthcare can look like in practice. Health belongs to everyone. Early detection saves lives.