A framed quote in Dr. Aida Luz Maisonet Giachello's Chicago office states: "If you have faith even as tiny as a mustard seed, all things are possible." This sentiment eloquently describes Giachello's own life journey, from an impoverished childhood in Puerto Rico to the corridors of academic excellence at the University of Chicago—and ultimately to the Midwest Latino Health Research, Training, and Policy Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There, Giachello works tirelessly to collect and analyze data—and to use that data to enact policies that promote good health, prevent disease, and control chronic illnesses. Although some progress has been made, much remains to be done. "The poor, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and women are still not getting [adequate] access to health care," says the 64-year-old grandmother of five.
