HispanicBusiness

Interior rendering of the home renovation for the Ventura family as part of the LIVESTRONG Survivor Support Initiative. Courtesy of The Bommarito Group.Exterior rendering of the home renovation for the Ventura family as part of the LIVESTRONG Survivor Support Initiative. Courtesy of The Bommarito Group.

AUSTIN, TX -- (Marketwire) -- 11/08/12 -- Today, the LIVESTRONG Foundation hosted a hard hat tour in East Austin at the home of bone cancer survivor Jose Antonio Ventura, whose home is undergoing a renovation as part of the LIVESTRONG Survivor Support Initiative. The Survivor Support Initiative, an effort designed to help cancer survivors facing exceptional challenges, is made possible because of the generosity of community partners including Balfour Beatty Construction, The Bommarito Group, HomeAway, Move Solutions Ltd., Redmon Construction, Rubbish Works and Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue. The home renovation will include interior and exterior upgrades and is expected to be completed by mid-December in time for the holidays.

"In addition to our steadfast commitment to serving people affected by cancer, the LIVESTRONG Foundation is also committed to bettering our community," said Greg Lee, Chief Financial Officer for the LIVESTRONG Foundation. "It's heartening to have so many community partners join our efforts to give the Ventura family a better quality of life and we are grateful for their generosity."

"The LIVESTRONG Foundation has helped us a lot," said Ventura. "They have given us the confidence that we can go on. And they have helped us with many of the practical challenges we've faced because of cancer. We are excited about the plans to renovate our home and are very thankful for everything the Foundation and their staff are doing to help our family."

The Ventura family represents the growing Hispanic population in the United States. Cancer rates for Hispanics are projected to increase by 142% by 2030, compared to 45% for the overall U.S. cancer incidence. Hispanics, who as a demographic tend to have lower incomes, less education and less insurance, have lower survival rates for most cancers, which may reflect less access to timely, high-quality treatment. The Foundation has recently expanded its outreach to the Hispanic community in an effort to close the gap in the health disparities for Hispanics diagnosed with cancer.