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By: Maria Machuca/Special to MÁS

When it comes to helping someone in need, Socorro Carrillo doesn’t hesitate. She would happily carve some time out of her already busy schedule as health programs manager for the American Cancer Society to lend you a hand.

That’s why it’s not surprising that Carrillo is in the business of helping. As a health programs manager, Carrillo is responsible for implementing education programs for the early detection and cancer prevention programs. Her job includes doing outreach programs among the Latino community to help Spanish speaking patients and their families have access to health care services.

Most recently, Carrillo spearheaded the formation of the first Spanish-language support group for monolingual cancer patients and their families.

Arriving in Kern County at age 13 and speaking only Spanish, Carrillo eventually became fluent in English, and graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix, tells MÁS what keeps her going after more than 15 years in the health care sector:

Q: What do you like about working for the American Cancer Society? What is your goal?
A: I love working with and for people and that’s what the American Cancer Society represents. The American Cancer Society is a non-profit organization that allows me to grow as a professional without limiting my potential. It is a pleasure to work for a non-profit organization that believes in helping cancer patients with numerous free programs and services.

Q: What’s your main reason for doing it? What inspires you?
A: The main reason I do it is because I believe in helping our community, especially those in need of cancer prevention education and services once they have been diagnosed with cancer. My main inspiration is to receive a smile from a satisfied patient.


Q: How does your cultural background or ethnicity play a role in your daily activities at work? Are you one of the few minorities or only minority at the local ACS office? How do you handle that?
A: My cultural background helps me tremendously when it comes to understanding our community since I grew up in the medically under-served community in Kern County. One of my responsibilities as an American Cancer Society employee is to work with special populations such as those lacking access to health care. My ethnicity and background was the main reason why I was hired by the American Cancer Society. And yes, I’m one of the minorities at work and the only minority in our local ACS. I am very proud of my ethnicity and bilingual qualities which have always taken me to where I want to be.

Q: What part of your culture drives you to the issues that you focus on as an ACS employee?
A: The need for cancer prevention and education among the Hispanic community. I want to be able to provide early detection education, cancer support services and guide them to free community services that are available to them.

Q: Do you have a Latina/Latino role model? Who is it?
A: My best role model is, and will be, my mother — a wonderful woman widowed at the age of 32. She proudly raised eight children by herself with love and hard work. My best role model has been a strong female who refused to take any public assistance, even when we were in need.