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The Global Initiative on the Ground
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San Jose, Costa Rica
For more photos from the Komen Global Initiative in Costa Rica go to the Photo Gallery |
PROGRAM SITES
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Alajuela
Costa Rica’s second largest city, Alajuela lies just north of the capital San
Jose in the beautiful Central Valley. Alajuela is the capital city of the
province of Alajuela in Costa Rica and famous for being the birthplace of
Juan Santamaría, the national hero of Costa Rica.
Puerto Limón
Puerto Limón is the capital of Limón Province in Costa Rica and is the
country's main Caribbean port. The city, like most of Costa Rica’s Atlantic
coast, is home to most of Costa Rica's citizens of African descent.
Landscaped with rainforest, lush mountains and beaches, the province is
also a popular tourist destination.
San José
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Like most
metropolitan areas, the city is center of economic and political activity as
well as the major transportation hub for the country. Approximately onethird
of the country’s population lives in this modern city. |
WHO WE ARE
In-Country Staff
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Program Manager
Fabiola Gamboa Ross has worked as a corporate lawyer for the past five years, and has
also managed local transnational software companies in Costa Rica. As a lawyer, Fabiola
has focused her extensive pro bono work on serving battered women. Her involvement
with cancer began after the death of a loved one. Ever since, she has been volunteering
as a lawyer at cancer foundations. Fabiola has a degree in corporate law. She is a public
notary and is currently pursuing her MBA.
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Master Trainer
Cecilia Mora has over thirteen years of experience developing social responsibility
programs in the private and public sectors. She has developed women’s community
initiatives for sustainable development, educational projects focused on at-risk youth,
and fundraising campaigns. Her areas of expertise are on network construction
(government, private sector and NGOs), strategic communication, and women’s and
youth empowerment issues. Cecilia has also assisted NGOs in establishing networks,
implementing self-improvement initiatives, and lobbying for specific aspects and
sectors. She holds a License Degree in Strategic Social Communication from
Universidad Latina, San José, Costa Rica, and she has been accredited as a Social
Responsibility expert by the Business Association for the Development of Costa Rica
(AED) and BID agreement. |
Steering Committee
Victoria Ross, Fundación Dra. Anna Gabriela Ross
Dr. Marcela Leandro, Instituto Costarricense Contra
El Cancer
Dr. Marisel Aguilar Herrera, Breast Surgeon
Ma. Eugenia Meoño, FUNDESO
Magda Siekert, American Embassy
Mariangela Ortiz, Office of Social Support,
Presidencial
House
Dr. Gustavo Gutierrez, Geneticist
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Carmen Montero, A.E.D.
Ana Fuentes, Fundación Esperanza
Herman Faith, CRUSA
Ofelia Quiros, INAMU
Dr. Xinia Carvajal, AMERCORI
Dr. Lidieth Carballo, Ministry of Health
Dr. Ortiz
Dr. Paco Fuster, Gynecologist
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Participants
The Komen Global Initiative conducts workshops based on the Course for the Cure™ training modules. The
participants in these workshops are nurses, breast cancer survivors, NGO workers, and others who are in a positions
to spread awareness to the general population of Costa Rica.
See profiles of participants in the Global Initiative – Costa Rica
PARTNERSHIPS
Lead Partner Organization:
Fundación Dra. Anna Gabriela Ross (San José)
Fundación Dra. Anna Gabriela Ross was established in 2003 in the name of the noted Costa Rican doctor Anna
Gabriela Ross, who succumbed to cancer in that same year. During her treatment she had imagined an organization
that could offer its support and assistance to improve the quality of life of people suffering from cancer and their family
members. Her sister Victoria Ross established this completely volunteer-run organization. Its mission is to research
cancer and its related topics, as well as to educate the public on cancer, raise awareness about cancer and its
prevention, and offer assistance to the general population. It works to achieve this mission through research,
trainings, workshops, partnerships and a strong group of volunteers from around the country working in distinct areas.
The Foundation has excellent relations with public and private hospitals, with the private sector and with the
government, and has collaborated with all of these on several cancer-related projects. Although breast cancer is not
the organization’s exclusive focus, it conducts a breast cancer education campaign in four areas in Costa Rica.
Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas
The Latin American countries involved in the Global Initiative comprise part of the Partnership for Breast Cancer
Awareness and Research of the Americas, which unites experts from the U.S., Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico in
the fight against breast cancer. This is a locally-led effort to increase early detection and reduce mortality through
improved awareness, increased clinical resources, and world-class research. The partners will work together to build
capacity in the region focusing on the areas of awareness-building, grassroots advocacy support, research, training,
community outreach and women’s empowerment.
The Partnership includes: the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Bureau of
Western Hemisphere Affairs, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
and the local partners in each country.
STATISTICS
As in many Latin American countries, breast cancer is
emerging as an urgent healthcare challenge in Costa
Rica, where many women are diagnosed in late stages
of the disease when chances of successful treatment are
greatly reduced.
Poverty and lack of awareness about breast
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Breast Cancer in Costa Rica:
Incidence: 30.9 / 100,000
Mortality: 13.6 / 100,000
Mortality/Incidence: 44%
Globocan 2002. Rates expressed are ASR(W)
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cancer
present major barriers to widespread screening and
early detection. While poverty is more prevalent in rural
areas, the highest rates of breast cancer in Costa Rica
occur within the urban sector. Mortality rates from breast cancer have been increasing, particularly in women over 65. In
2000 breast cancer had the highest rate of incidence and in 2002 it had the highest rate of mortality in comparison to
other types of cancer.
Increasing awareness about Breast Self Examination (BSE) and screening campaigns are high priorities in Costa Rica. |
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