by Erinn Gardner
The Senior Care Action Network (SCAN) Foundation hosted a long-awaited dinner Wednesday, July 10, at Scott’s Seafood and Grill, where notable keynote speakers and panelists enlightened attendees with their invaluable knowledge and lived experiences.
The SCAN Foundation aims to amplify marginalized voices and allow society to age well with purpose. Through funding elder healthcare programs, supporting equity-centered healthcare policies and elevating senior citizen’s stories, SCAN serves as a change agent for those who face race and economic discrimination.
This event not only brought the community together, but it brought awareness to the organization’s overarching goal of strengthening health and aging infrastructure.
The event commenced with a reception at 5 p.m., allowing guests to mingle amongst themselves, while snacking on hors d’oeuvres.
SCAN organizers then welcomed attendees into the dining space, where the tables were immaculately set and the food arranged to be indulged. A demographically diverse event, everyone sat down in their business professional attire in preparation to become educated and inspired.
Black women health professionals speak
The word advocacy is one that was used frequently throughout the evening. Keynote speaker and Sinkler Medical Association President Dr. Stacey Gambrell Hunt MD, FAAD, stressed the importance of self advocacy in medical settings. Black people make up 13% of the population in the United States yet only 6% of physicians are Black, leaving ample room for underrepresentation and minimal advocacy for the Black community.
“If you do not feel like you are being valued or heard, it’s important that we advocate for ourselves,” Hunt said. “We don’t wait for other people to do it; we must do it ourselves.”
Hunt stated that the Black population tends to die prematurely as a result of them not asking the right questions. These individuals often receive inadequate care or are overlooked by the healthcare system. The concept of advocacy may appear to be simple or even futile at times, but it can save lives.
These health disparities are even more visible in the elderly Black community, some of society’s most vulnerable members. Part of the SCAN Foundation’s role is to advocate for those who are not able to easily speak up.
This idea of advocacy even extends beyond the Black community and into other minority groups. Panelist Donna Hillard shared her sentiments about having to translate for her mother, a Korean woman, at the age of 7 in a medical setting. When asked to provide a translator, the medical officials brought out a Spanish translator, further demonstrating lack of representation.
This lived experience is a vital piece to the puzzle, as it proves the need for advocacy in communities seen as expendable.
Such an event brought awareness to various forms of advocacy that exist for communities who are brushed aside. The substantial turnout also reflected the care in the community and their commitment to learning about these preeminent issues and supporting programs like SCAN that envision a brighter future.
“This event means a lot because it shows the commitment from the community. It shows that there is a need for this type of program,” Alignment Health regional sales manager Frankie Ross said. “This gave medical experts, community organizations and individuals a chance to actually listen and give them hope about what could happen in the future.”
Erinn Gardner is a junior English major from Atlanta, Georgia, attending Spelman College. Deeply passionate about amplifying underrepresented voices, she strives to give a voice to the voiceless in order to inspire change.
