"During the COVID pandemic, digital communication and social media engagement exploded. A negative pandemic impact specific to Spanish-speaking baby boomers is reduced healthcare access, fewer routine doctor visits and a high rate of end-stage renal disease which is a deadly trifecta. A positive pandemic impact specific to Spanish-speaking baby boomers is the increase in technology and social media usage, which presents a tremendous opportunity to effectively reach this key public.
As a Guatemalan daughter whose Spanish-speaking mother received a kidney transplant that saved her life, I am passionate about helping others and have dedicated the past 15-years of my PR & Communications career to health communication. Receiving health information and kidney disease resources allowed my mother’s life to be saved thanks to a generous kidney donor which restored her health, allowing her to have children is the sole reason I exist today. My life’s mission is to promote health communications awareness so that lives may be saved.
During my 5-months of research, I learned how to use the Georgetown Library and all of its vast resources to conduct research that was very specific and niche. I worked with a wonderful Georgetown librarian named Melissa Netzband, who helped me gain an even deeper understanding of how to effectively navigate the Georgetown library.
I am most proud that this detailed research communications plan will help save lives in Spanish-speaking communities, which are the most in need of hearing this life saving message but are the least likely to know these resources exist. This communications plan will help organizations stand out from the competition, captivate the key public’s attention, position the organization as an industry expert, increase programming awareness, drive traffic to the organization’s website and social channels and expand routine presence in the community which will lead to saving lives in Spanish-speaking communities as a trusted community partner.