Volunteer of the Year 2007: Ninfa Cantu
From September/October 2007 Psoriasis Advance
"Nuevo Amanecer" is
Spanish for "a new
dawn"—and that
phrase has special
meaning for Ninfa
Cantu. She‘s a
leader for the Nuevo
Amanecer Bilingual
support group in San
Antonio, Texas—the first Psoriasis Foundation
affiliated bilingual group in the nation.
A member of the National Psoriasis Foundation
since 1992, Ninfa has been a catalyst for psoriasis
awareness for years. "I will continue to do my
part to fight to find a cure, which will be our
new dawn," says Ninfa. "That is what all of us
with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are looking
toward."
Ninfa was named Psoriasis Foundation Volunteer
of the Year at the 2007 National Conference in
Las Vegas on Aug. 18.
She has worked with Hispanic media to get the
message out about the Psoriasis Foundation, and
participated in Psoriasis Awareness Month and
World Psoriasis Day activities. And, when recent
health issues challenged her, she found a support
group co-coordinator, Cecil Ortiz, to help. She
and Cecil have been effective at breaking down
the cultural stigma around psoriasis.
"I feel blessed and humbled to receive this award,"
says Ninfa. "I am grateful for the opportunity to
learn more about psoriasis, to learn how to accept
my psoriasis and to help others cope with the disease."
The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes initiative,
sustained commitment, impact and innovation in
reaching the psoriasis community. The program is
made possible by unrestricted educational grants
from Amgen and Wyeth, and Abbott.
Volunteer of the Year finalists include: Cristy
Boisvert, San Diego, Calif.; David King,
Indianapolis, Ind.; Michael Kammer, Hoboken,
N.J.; Diane Talbert, Temple Hills, Md.; Jeff
Roberts, Kansas City, Mo.; Jerry Bagel, M.D.,
East Windsor, N.J.; Karen Hebb, Boston, Mass.;
Nancy Henschel, N. Miami Beach, Fla.; Sally
Johnstone, Crown Point, Ind.; and Steve Bishkoff,
Oakhurst, N.J.
Congratulations to all!
To be part of the National Psoriasis Foundation
volunteer movement, go to
www.psoriasis.org/community/volunteer.
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