Fundraiser for Tucson’s El Rio to help expand access to healthcare

Loni Nannini Special to the Arizona Daily Star

Apr 21, 2025

El Rio Vecinos (pictured above) will stage “Run for the Roses” — Vecinos Block Party 2025 at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 9 at Plaza Palomino, 2900 N. Swan Rd. The 21-plus event will raise funds for cancer screening and prevention programs at El Rio Health.

The El Rio Vecinos, a group of young professionals ages 25-39 dedicated to supporting the El Rio Community Health Center, held its inaugural fundraiser back in 2014, pictured here. The group is back again with their annual Block Party — “Run for the Rose” — at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Plaza Palomino, 2900 N. Swan Rd.

On the first Saturday in May the Vecinos will be out in full force, hats in hands and bow-ties at the ready, to support El Rio Health Cancer Screening and Prevention Programs with “Run for the Roses”— Vecinos Block Party 2025.

The themed event continues a tradition of raising funds to expand access to healthcare for those most in need at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Plaza Palomino, 2900 N. Swan Rd.

“We live in an incredibly polarized world currently and it is unfortunate that cancer is one of the few things that ties everyone together. It has affected every family and individual you talk to. We are taking that negative and trying to turn it into a positive and support people who don’t have the resources for screenings to prevent cancer,” said Shayla Sandoval, president of the Vecinos.

Over the past 12 years, the group of young professionals has raised more than $1 million to fund various causes for El Rio Health, which serves 129,000 patients annually. For the past several years, they have turned their efforts toward funding cancer screenings — including mammograms and colonoscopies — along with promoting awareness and cancer prevention, education and support.

Read more at tucson.com