Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Texas, with some women being less likely than others to get screening mammograms because of a lack of health insurance, low income, lack of access to care, low education level, among others. Women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, experience worse treatment outcomes, often linked to late-stage diagnoses that could be prevented through regular mammograms.
Lack of health insurance is a major factor, with only 36% of uninsured women under 64 being up-to-date on screenings, and Texas ranks 41st nationally for mammogram screening rates. These statistics emphasize the critical need for targeted education, screening initiatives, and navigation support services, especially in medically underserved communities. Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), has a strong network supporting underserved communities.
Texas Southern University (TSU), one of the nation’s largest HBCUs, leverages its strong community network to address these disparities.
At TSU BCSPC, our mission is to advance breast health awareness and improve outcomes in Harris, Grimes, Matagorda, Walker, Wharton, Brazoria, Galveston, Trinity, Polk counties and its surrounding communities.
What We Do
Eligibility: Women 40+ (or younger if high-risk), uninsured/underinsured, or first-time/rarely screened.
Dr. Anneliese Gonzalez is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. She is Medical Director of the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center.
Dr. Gonzalez’s expertise is in breast cancer. In this role, she participates in community-based education and awareness events for breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with a family history of breast cancer and/or other risk factors for breast cancer. As an expert in this field, she has presented at internal UTHealth conferences, patient-centered conferences across the Houston area, and given multiple television and radio interviews regarding breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention over the years.
Dr. Ajewole serves as Associate Professor at TSU and as a Clinical Pharmacist and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oncology at Houston Methodist Hospital. She received her PharmD from TSU and completed her oncology pharmacy residency at Houston Methodist Hospital. She is a Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist with clinical practice in oral chemotherapy Houston Methodist Hospital Cancer Center.
She is the founding Director of the NIHMD funded Community Engagement Core of TSU’s Center for Biomedical and Minority Health Research and TSU’s Institute for Health Equity Advancement, Research, and Training.
Dr Ogboh graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and completed a one-year general practice residency at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas. She also completed a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis on Public Health Leadership from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the past 17 years, Dr Ogboh has worked in the retail pharmacy setting and pediatric hospital setting before joining TSU as the Health Equity and Community Engagement Pharmacy in late February 2024, where she supports health education, advancement, research, and training initiatives, including the Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center.
Dhuha Alkhaiat is an Internal Medicine physician with additional training in Anesthesiology and Critical Care for 3 years. Dr.Alkhaiat has been practicing medicine for 15 years. She earned her medical degree from the University of Baghdad in Iraq. She completed a residency at Canton Medical Education Foundation in Ohio, graduated with an Excellence Award in Ambulatory Care. She is board-certified in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
She joined Ohio Physicians’ Professional Corporation as a hospitalist for 14 months. Then she moved to Houston, Texas, to work in urgent Care facilities and free-standing Emergency Rooms, as she enjoys more free time to care for her three children.
Her particular interest is to treat critically ill patients. And uses the phrase” My patients taught me more about medicine than any book did”.
She is Bilingual in Arabic and English.
Certified In ATLS, PALS, ACLS, BLS
Licensed in the state of Ohio and Texas
is the Care Coordinator & Community Liaison and Community Health Worker for TSU’s BCSPC. She has over ten years of experience coordinating health services. For TSU’s BCSPC, she coordinates mobile events in different counties and promotes awareness of breast cancer at community outreach and engagement events. As a community health worker, she can connect women with our organization to provide screening mammograms in their communities.
PharmD, BCOP, is a Clinical Associate Professor at Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Houston. He is also Clinical Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School and Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at UT Health/Memorial Hermann Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Hunter received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Texas Southern University, followed by a fellowship in Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He is a board-certified Oncology Pharmacist. Dr. Hunter is the Program Director of the T.L. Burks Breast Cancer Outreach Center and serves as an advisory board member for the Texas Southern University Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center, which the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas funds. Dr. Hunter is the Principal Investigator of the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Cancer Health Outcomes at TSU in collaboration with the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Lara is a versatile professional, communicator, writer, editor, strategist, and analytical thinker who brings over 22 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in health, social justice, education, and research organizations. She has worked on the front lines in communities and has led targeted outreach and education initiatives across Texas and beyond. She has specific expertise in public health communication and social marketing, collaborating with diverse stakeholders to create materials and campaigns that are clear, engaging, polished, and accessible to the target audience.
Lara is the founder and principal of Attune, LLC. Her experience includes roles with The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Health Communication, SUMA Social Marketing, Texas Network of Youth Services, the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation, the Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, among others. She attended Vassar College and the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Amanda Hackler serves as the external evaluator on behalf of the
Texas Southern University Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Center (BCSPC). In her capacity, Dr. Hackler collects mixed methods data to determine the efficacy of interventions and to maximize impact on the communities served through this unique and critical program.
Dr. Hackler holds a doctorate in higher education from the University of Alabama and a master’s and bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University. In addition, Dr. Hackler is a 2014 graduate of Harvard University’s Management Development Program.
is currently the Program Coordinator for the BCSPC at Texas Southern University. She currently has two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminal justice. She has an extensive background in serving individuals within the community. She has worked in social services, mental health, as well as the educational and employment sector serving the youth in the community.
Lauren is now in the health sector with an aim to spread awareness about Breast Cancer as well as to continue to help provide screening and prevention. She also has family history with Breast Cancer. Understanding the significance of spreading awareness, she wishes to continue to make an impact to those around her.
Sneha is a Community Health Worker/ Community Health Worker Instructor for TSU’s BCSPC. She has a background in Health and values promoting and facilitating positive behaviors, like regular screenings. In addition to promoting the BCSPC’s mammogram screening services, Sneha also writes objective statements for CHWs to measure the effectiveness of the BCSPC’s health education sessions.
Kassie Thompson is a Program Coordinator under the Institute for Health Empowerment, Advancement, Research, and Training (iHEART), where she manages day-to-day operations across multiple university-housed community health programs. She also contributes to outreach, research efforts, and community events. A proud graduate of Fisk University, her HBCU experience and early work at a free clinic and on a nutrition program in rural and urban Mississippi shaped her commitment to health empowerment and culturally responsive programming. She brings adaptability, care, and a purpose-driven focus to supporting initiatives that reflect the needs of the communities they serve.
Sign up for updates from BCSPC
