Abstract C96: Community education; community advocacy

Community Education; community advocacy is an initiative that has been utilized to address disparities in the west Alabama Area. Utilizing a small college, a faith based group, and the local chapter of a national sorority with an emphasis in community service, this project has worked to involve African Americans in all levels of cancer prevention and advocacy, including fundraising, education, outreach, and clinical trials.

The Victorious Cancer Support Group is a grassroots faith-based organization that provides cancer related education and support in the west Alabama area. Stillman College is a private HBCU affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. The Tuscaloosa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Victorious Cancer Support Group, and Stillman have provided cancer related education and services including smoke free campus initiatives and smoke-free Tuscaloosa advocacy, bone marrow education and registry opportunities, Sister Study Breast Cancer registration, and Cancer Prevention Study 3 registration. Fundraising efforts include support and participation in Race for the Cure, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Relay for Life. Advocacy efforts have included visits to lawmakers to discuss funding for cancer research and in support of smoke-free initiatives. Stillman college students have been educated based on health promotion models and have been empowered to take the information back to their communities and to their respective churches and civic groups.

Citation Format: Jacqueline Waldine Currie. Community education; community advocacy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr C96.