Jeffrey Bocanegra
Hi there! My name is Jeffrey Bocanegra, and I’m a New York native who shares a love for driving.
Starting in 2013, I began in Long Island City as a yellow cab driver. Pulling 12-hour shifts led to abnormal PH levels due to a high consumption of red meats. When I moved to a garage in Harlem, I was working 9-hour shifts and was introduced to the FitBit (STEP) program by Memorial Sloan Kettering.
I was interested in the wristwatch wearing technology and, after that, I became a CAB member. In our first meeting, we shared our most stressful experiences as drivers, such as waiting in long lines at the airport to pick up passengers. This proved to be a common situation where drivers would resort to cigarette smoking and poor eating choices to cope with the anticipation of our next fare. As a result of becoming a CAB member and having the support of the MSK team, I began to curb my high consumption for chocolates and pizzas. I also began an active journey toward reclaiming my health. Each step created a habitual stance toward abating cancer and avoiding future health complications.
Then I chose to drive for Uber driving a wheelchair-accessible van. I continued attending CAB meetings, where we were provided with a space to discuss new legislations and laws surrounding driving. The constant updating of rules of the road meant quick adaptation which MSK well-equipped us to handle.
At this point in the program, I was aware of my food choices, making regular checkups with my primary healthcare physician, and taking B-12 injections as per healthcare guidelines. Along with better working conditions, I learned to value my health, my life, and to take care of the lives of my passengers.
Being a cab driver is more than just driving. It’s about being part of a community, advancing with the latest technology, and being informed about our food choices and exercise routines.
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Alpha Diallo
I am Alpha Oumar Diallo, and I drove yellow cab from 2008 to 2016. Since then, I have been driving e-hail cabs (app companies) as a for-hire vehicle driver. I have been a community leader since 2011 at Union Fouta, as well as a Wellness Advocate at the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) in New York City.
I have been a CAB member since 2013. I have attended all CAB meetings in person or online, and also attended many workshops. I’ve been a permanent contact between the Taxi Network at MSKCC and Union Fouta, my community organization. Together, Union Fouta and the Taxi Network have regularly collaborated on 3 to 4 health fairs every year in the Bronx and Brooklyn. There, we have a big number of our community members residing, and we have a community center and Masjids. We have also done 2 colorectal cancer awareness workshops, where MSK provided the opportunity to our community to get free cancer screening at the Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem.
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Shydul Islam
I am Shydul Islam. I am from Bangladesh and I have been living in this country for approximately 33 years. When I first arrived, I started working as a yellow cab driver and I loved it. Driving people to work or school every day and chatting with them was really fun for me. I enjoyed the flexibility that came with the job as I was able to choose my own hours. However, after spending long hours in the car, I became quite inactive and started experiencing health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
It wasn’t until I met with the Taxi Network ROADmAP team at LaGuardia Airport that I started to learn more about how to take care of my health. They helped me figure out what foods to eat and provided me with a watch that tracked my steps and weight. Their program provided me with regular blood sugar checks at their health fair events (A1C test and glucose). As a result, I have become really motivated to take care of my health and understand it more. This program really made me start thinking about my health again and I have been eating better ever since.
I work six days a week, go to the mosque near me to pray, and volunteer my time for others in my community. We work together to help the poor, the old, and the disabled. We also teach other people about Islam and its teachings. Being a CAB Member has shown me that I can do all of the things I love to do, continue to be a driver, and also stay focused on improving my health.