Cancer Organizations Unite on Messages for the Public Public Needs to Know They Can Reduce Their Risk for Cancer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                CONTACT:
June 10, 2008   Jasmine Greenamyer
703-837-3695
jasmine@preventcancer.org

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Prevent Cancer Foundation is joining with C-Change to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem, by communicating consistent research-based messaging to the public. C-Change and its partners hope that a unified communications strategy across every sector of society will most effectively encourage consumers to take a more active role in reducing their risk for cancer.

C-Change recently conducted a survey to better understand consumer attitudes and behaviors about cancer. The survey investigated what actions, if any, consumers are currently taking to reduce their risk of cancer and what is their perceived level of control over their risk. Results indicated that:

1. Only a little over half of all Americans over the age of 35 are knowledgeable about the potential risks of developing cancer.
2. Only one out of two individuals is aware of the ways to reduce their risk.
3. A quarter of Americans surveyed believe it’s extremely or very difficult to reduce their risk for cancer, when in fact there are small steps they can take every day to lower their risk.

C-Change, Prevent Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and other partners are all sharing clear, simple messages about healthy living and screening, to help empower individuals to take charge and reduce their own risk of cancer. Communication campaign efforts will relay that there are simple but meaningful ways to reduce your risk: Get Screened, Eat Well, Be Active, and Get Help to Quit Smoking and Tobacco. Now you know. Now you can.

“Organizations like the Prevent Cancer Foundation, along with other nonprofits, the government, and corporate partners can all play a role in educating the public about steps they can take to lower their risk of developing cancer, or increasing their chances to detect it early. We believe we can reduce the public’s confusion about cancer prevention, if all of these various sectors have a consistent message,” stated Carolyn Aldigé, president and founder of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Prevent Cancer Foundation is releasing a series of print public service announcements (PSAs) that incorporates this new unified messaging. Immediately available for distribution are two PSAs: one promotes screening for colorectal cancer and the other encourages men, women and children to reduce their risk for skin cancer. The Foundation has also incorporated the messaging into its other communications. The PSAs are available for download at www.preventcancer.org.

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About Prevent Cancer Foundation

The Prevent Cancer Foundation (formerly the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation) was started in 1985. Today, it is one of the nation’s leading health organizations and has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Through healthy lifestyle choices, you can reduce your risk of breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostate, skin and testicular cancers.

Since its inception the Foundation has provided more than $97 million in support of cancer prevention and early detection research, education and community outreach programs. The Foundation’s peer-reviewed grants have been awarded to more than 300 scientists from more than 150 of the leading academic medical centers nationwide. This research has been pivotal in developing a body of knowledge that is the basis for important cancer prevention and early detection strategies. For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.

About C-Change

C-Change is comprised of the nation’s key cancer leaders from government, business, and nonprofit sectors. These cancer leaders share the vision of a future where cancer is prevented, detected early, and cured or is managed successfully as a chronic illness.

One of the underlying principles of C-Change is to leverage the leadership and expertise of all sectors of society to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem at the earliest possible time. C-Change is both a forum and a catalyst for identifying issues and major challenges facing the cancer community and for initiating collaborative actions to complement the efforts of individual C-Change Members.

Former President George Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush are Co-chairs of C-Change; Senator Dianne Feinstein serves as Vice Chair. Currently, there are about 130 C-Change participants, all of whom are central figures from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.