Hundreds of Atlanta residents gathered on November 9 at the Stronger Together: A Journey to Wellness Family Festival, hosted by the PAN Foundation, to address healthcare access issues affecting Georgia’s communities of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Amid high healthcare costs and widespread health conditions like diabetes, affordable and accessible care is critical. The festival served as both a community health resource and an opportunity to unveil new findings on clinical trial accessibility, shedding light on the barriers faced by marginalized patients.
The event, held at the Impact Event Center, brought together resources, activities, and insights tailored to support underserved communities. Highlights from the festival included:
- Free Health Screenings: Attendees received critical diabetes and blood pressure checks, empowering them with essential health information.
- Access to Financial Aid Resources: Specialists were available to help attendees apply for programs like Medicaid and WIC, offering direct support to those in need.
- Free Fresh Produce: A lively farmers market distributed free fresh produce, promoting food security and community wellness.
- Family Wellness Activities: Yoga sessions and urban line dancing fostered a health-centered, positive atmosphere for all ages.
- Over 40 Local Health Organizations and Wellness Partners: Community organizations provided on-site expertise, reflecting a city-wide approach to health equity.
Alongside these community resources, the PAN Foundation shared results from its recent survey, conducted with The Harris Poll, revealing significant disparities in clinical trial access for marginalized groups. Despite 80% of people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals viewing clinical trials positively and expressing enthusiasm for participation, they remain largely excluded from these potentially life-saving opportunities. The data shows that 58% of people of color and 65% of LGBTQIA+ patients interested in trials are never approached, with only 20% ever invited to participate.
This exclusion of marginalized groups from clinical trials impacts the development of treatments that could be more effective for a diverse population and contributes to a national health equity crisis.
Kim Baich, Chief Diversity & Health Equity Officer at the PAN Foundation, emphasized the opportunity for healthcare reform to address these access barriers. “This data shows a clear, urgent need to dismantle obstacles that prevent people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals from contributing to and benefiting from medical advancements,” she said.
The Stronger Together festival highlighted both community-driven support for wellness and the importance of creating inclusive health systems. As healthcare access remains a priority in policy discussions, the PAN Foundation aims to use these findings to drive meaningful reform, with their newest initiative, Opening Doors to Clinical Trials.
The new platform provides personalized live support to help individuals overcome barriers like transportation and costs associated with participating in clinical trials, along with tools to easily locate trials and resources that foster trust and transparency.
For more information on the PAN Foundation’s Opening Doors to Clinical Trials or to speak with someone about potentially joining a Clinical Trial visit https://clinicaltrials.
