Confronting the Cancer in Her Family
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A8 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015 LATIMES.COM LATIMES.COMA10 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBERLA 26,TIMES 2015 .COMA9 $2.75 DESIGNATED AREAS HIGHER ©2019 WST SATURDAY,APRIL 27, 2019 latimes.com Confronting the cancer in her family [Breast cancer, from A1] such as religion and family, grandmother Maria Elena may keep Latinas from Uribe when she was in her getting tested, and econo- USC HOME 70s. It came after her grand- mic disparities may prevent mother in her 60s and then many from getting health her mother at age 49. One insurance. aunt survived cancer a few Everyone, men and suffers years ago; another finished women, has two genes PRICE treatment in February. known as BRCA1 and It seemed only a matter BRCA2. Latinas are not of time before it came for necessarily more likely to be another her. But Campoverdi’s carriers of a harmful muta- DROP IS approach to the deadly tion in either BRCA1 or disease typified a genera- BRCA2, or to be diagnosed tional shift. While others in with breast cancer com- setback her family ignored a lump, pared with other ethnic FIRST IN or let the doctors take the populations. However, they lead, Campoverdi said she are less likely to get prevent- decided to become “the ive testing, such as mammo- Cardiology fellowship CEO of her own body.” grams, and are often diag- clouded by sex-assault 7 YEARS In 2014 , Campoverdi nosed at later stages, said tested positive for a muta- Susan Domchek, executive lawsuit will lose its tion in her BRCA2 gene, director of the Basser Cen- national accreditation. confirming what she al- ter for BRCA at Penn Medi- A sustained decline ready knew: A high risk of cine. By Matt Hamilton appears unlikely, given breast cancer ran in her That’s why Campoverdi blood. started the Well Woman SoCal’s desirability. Campoverdi dove into Coalition, an initiative she Anational oversight researching and consulting hopes to use to empower panel has moved to revoke By Andrew Khouri with doctors about what she women of color to take the accreditation of the USC should do next. She met control of their health. She medical school’s fellowship with the man who discov- also partnered with the in cardiovascular disease, The Southern California ered BRCA2 gene muta- Basser Center for BRCA to an embarrassing blow to median home price dipped tions and interviewed him launch Latinx & BRCA, the the once-vaunted training slightly in March from a year for a documentary on the first awareness campaign program. earlier, the first annual de- subject that she executive on the BRCA gene mutation Photographs by Christina House Los Angeles Times The Accreditation Coun- crease since 2012 and a sign produced. She launched CAMPOVERDI, who worked for President Obama and The Times, prepares to speak at L.A. City Hall. that targets Latinos and cil for Graduate Medical Ed- ALEJANDRA CAMPOVERDI receives the sign of the cross from her mother, Cecilia Medellin, in October. of a remarkable downshift initiatives to make sure the offers Spanish-language ucation formally notified from the once-sizzling re- path for others behind her educational materials. USC and L.A. County this COLUMN ONE gional housing market. would be a little bit easier. week that their jointly run The 0.1% drop, reported Through social media, fellowship program will lose Friday by CoreLogic, means Campoverdi memorialized b its accreditation next year, prices for the six-county re- each step of her breast effectively shutting it down. gion were essentially flat cancer crusade and agreed Hooked up to an IV in a The panel did not publi- year-over-year. But given a to let Times journalists hospital bed, Campoverdi cly state the reasons for the Wo uld cancer get her next? pullback in previous chronicle her medical jour- sat in a tiny curtained-off action. But it comes a year months, prices are$18,500off ney over many months. room at Providence St. after revelations that a med- their June 2018 peak, and Last fall, at age 39, she de- John’s Health Center in ical resident had accused a Determined woman confronts disease that stalked her family that raises the possibility of cided to go forward with a Santa Monica surrounded fellow in the program of sex- asustained decline in the double mastectomy that by the hospital’s hum and ual assault and alleged offi- Angeles Times to her resume months ahead. would reduce her risk of cream-colored walls. cials didn’t take her case By Alejandra and made a mighty but unsuc- The median price for new Reyes-Velarde getting cancer from 85% to Videographers pointed seriously. cessful run for Congress. In and resale houses and con- less than 3%. cameras at her, following The ACGME also took campaign materials, Campov- dos — the point at which half Tests failed to find any her every move for the docu- the rare step of imposing im- lejandra Campoverdi erdi was a natural, flashing a the homes sold for more and traces of disease in her body, mentary she was producing. mediate probation on the forged a path for smile with her head held high, half for less — was $518,500 in but Campoverdi decided Even in a hospital gown, fellowship’s sponsoring in- herself that some her silky brown hair primped March, $500 less than a year she was going to get breast Campoverdi was at ease, stitutions, USC and the L.A. only dream of, turn- just right. earlier and off the all-time cancer before it got her. and her hair shone. Know- County-USC Medical Cen- A ing humble begin- She did all this despite the high of $537,000 reached in BREAST CANCER has stalked the women in her CAMPOVERDI, with mammographer Teresa ing she wouldn’t be able to ter, concluding they “failed nings into a life of poise and disadvantages she faced having June. family. Above, sister Monica and mother Cecilia. Hoang, decided to be “CEO of her own body.” shower or get a manicure to demonstrate substantial power. been the daughter of immi- The dip from March 2018 b anytime soon, she had gone compliance” with unspeci- She had been that perfect grants, raised on welfare. But doesn’t mean values de- to a hair appointment the fied requirements. student who made it to USC and something was looming in Cam- clined across the board. In Campoverdi grew up in a morning before the surgery. During the 2017-18 aca- then Harvard against all odds. poverdi’s life, in her blood, that fact, when broken down by cramped, rent-controlled Her nails were perfectly demic year, the ACGME had She turned a volunteer position had the power to take all of that county, the median dropped apartment in Santa Monica, pink, as were her mother’s only one institution on pro- with then-Sen. Barack Obama’s away. only in Orange County, while with up to eight family and sister’s. bation out of the 830 accred- presidential campaign into a Breast cancer was attacking remaining areas — including members living there at a Her mother looked up ited in the U.S. post at the White House. DRS. KRISTI FUNK, left, and Ritu every woman in her life. Los Angeles County — still time. She was surrounded from her laptop, then down The USC and L.A. She added high-profile media Chopra prepare for Campoverdi’s The disease stole her great- posted a slight or modest in- by women, and her father again. She was reading a [See Fellowship, A7] jobs with Univision and the Los surgery in Santa Monica. [See Breast cancer, A10] crease compared with a year was absent from her life. poem she had written for earlier. Any loss was filled by her her daughter when Cam- Sales, however, contin- grandmother’s doting. poverdi had just gone ued their declines across the Maria Louisa Medellin — through her first surgery as board and have now her Abi, short for abuelita — achild, for scoliosis. dropped in each county for walked her to school each “Would you like to hear Will measles orders at least eight consecutive morning after a prayer. For it?” her mother asked, and months. Sales for the region years, on their walks, began reciting: fell14 .1% in March. Medellin made it a habit to Your love rivers in my veins If prices follow and enter bring coffee each day to a Bursting them with pride quell the outbreak? into a tailspin, many buyers homeless man they knew as Play me a love song piano struggling to afford a home King Edward. girl history. would rejoice — provided it Despite her desire to give You are not the princess More than 1,000 from The declaration has wasn’t accompanied by an rather than receive, You are the … pyramid L.A. universities told raised questions about how economic downturn and re- Medellin depended on After taking selfies with effective the orders will be turn to high joblessness. financial help from family to her doctors, Campoverdi to remain at home. and how exactly they will be Many economists say ei- pay for rent and necessities, was rolled away into the implemented at UCLA and ther scenario is unlikely. To- Campoverdi said. Health operating room for the Cal State Los Angeles, day, there is still lots of de- insurance was a luxury she five-hour surgery that By Soumya where students have been mand to live in a state where Karlamangla couldn’t afford. And be- would remove and recon- diagnosed with the disease. developers can’t easily ramp sides, going to the doctor struct her breasts.