Joseph Pacheco

Joseph Pacheco is a Susan G. Komen for the cure Scholar in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at KUMC and works as a Graduate Research Assistant with CAICH, where his work focuses on breast cancer research for both men and women.  As the grandson of a breast cancer survivor and the nephew of a woman who lost a long, hard battle with breast cancer, Joseph is passionate about advancing breast cancer research.  Joseph graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 2010, with his Bachelors of Science in Pre-Professional Zoology.  He aspires to go to medical school once he completes his MPH.

Joseph has always been fascinated with research, spending many of his younger days in his father’s research laboratory.  He is a strong believer than medicine should be proactive and not reactive and that health professionals should treat the person and not the ailment.  Along with his fascination with research, Joseph has always been passionate about giving back to the community.  In his spare time, Joseph works at the YMCA coaching and teaching youth and adults how to swim.  He also volunteers his time at Children’s Mercy Hospital in the allergy and immunology research laboratory.

Joseph was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri.  He is both Cherokee of Oklahoma and Quechua of Bolivia.