It was about 10 years ago my father got the word from doctors that he had lung cancer. At the age of 83, and a steady smoker since 14, his prognosis wasn't all that great.

Today, while he is a bit annoyed when he can't work around the house as much as he used to because he is short of breath and missing part of his lung due to surgery, he still gets around on his electric scooter to local stores and parks, reminiscing with old-timers about the good old days in Ventura County.

For those who have cancer, and have the additional challenge of not speaking English, the road to understanding and recovering can be daunting. But at a recent cancer support group meeting in Oxnard, I found nearly a dozen cancer survivors and their family members talking in Spanish about their fears, accomplishments and hopes.

Led by Mario Cepeda, a marriage and family therapist, they talked about everything, including the positive moments such as watching their hair grow back.

They all displayed a strong spirit, an overriding belief in God and, amazingly, a strong sense of humor such as when cancer survivor Ray Chapparo said he accidentally fell while taking his groceries home one day. While everything else crashed to the ground, he was able to save the dozen eggs from turning into a sidewalk omelet. To this day, fellow cancer survivor Maria Ochoa said she has to laugh every time she opens up her refrigerator and sees eggs sitting there.

"My husband thinks I'm crazy when I laugh at the eggs," she said.

The support group comes courtesy of the Wellness Community Valley/Ventura Latino Outreach Cancer Program. Every other Friday, the group meets at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. One-on-one talks, called "Platicas," are also held Wednesdays at the Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura.

Serving more than 500 Latinos since it was launched, it is one of a number of programs and individuals to be honored March 15 when El Concilio del Condado de Ventura holds its 19th annual Latino Leadership Awards. Others honorees are Ventura County District Attorney Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program; the Boys & Girls Club Oxnard/Port Hueneme; educators Maricruz Hernández and Michele Dean; Olivia Villalobos Niles of the Girl Scouts; and high school student Erica Fernández.

Sponsors include Bank of America, The Gas Co., Lazer Broadcasting, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Southern California Edison, St. John's Regional Medical Center and St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital.

A lifetime achievement award will also be presented by AT&T to Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo, with Citibank presenting the "Building Bridges" award to CSU Channel Islands. A quick look at the nominating letters is enough to show there are some very remarkable people and organizations here in the county dedicated to helping others.

The District Attorney Real Estate Fraud Prosecution program has screened 283 complaints since it was launched in November 2005. Already, 34 cases are under active investigation, with 11 defendants charged with fraud.

While many talk about creating at-risk youth diversion programs, the local Boys & Girls Club was the first in the state to open a club inside a California juvenile facility.

Maricruz Hernández has gone from a youth with limited English skills trying to convince a counselor she could earn a high school diploma, to a local educator and current assistant principal at Rio Mesa High School in Oxnard.

Michele Dean has helped parents gain the skills they need to help their children succeed at Montalvo Elementary School in Ventura through the support of such bilingual programs as Parent Expectation Student Achievement and the Parent Institute for Quality Education.

Olivia Villalobos Niles has worked hard to bring the Girl Scouts program to youths in Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru and elsewhere in the county.

Erica Fernández, who also came to this country with limited English skills, is currently ranked fourth in her graduating class at Hueneme High School, tutors on Saturdays and plans to attend Harvard upon graduation.

While Hank Lacayo has been "retired" since 1986, he has served on numerous boards and organizations, and received countless honors, including the creation of the Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo Workforce/Communities Studies Institute at CSUCI. The university itself has been building bridges with the community since it opened in the fall of 2002, conferring more than 1,600 undergraduate and graduate degrees.

All the above deserve to be honored for working to make Ventura County a better place for all residents.

— Frank Moraga is The Star's director of diversity and editor of Mi Estrellla, The Star's bilingual weekly newspaper. He is also a member of the board of directors of El Concilio del Condado de Ventura. He can be reached at fmoraga@venturacountystar.com.