The Virginia Cancer Network’s project at rural worksites receives top prize
(ALEXANDRIA, Va.)—The Prevent Cancer Foundation awarded the first-place prize of its third annual Screening Saves Lives National Challenge to the Virginia Cancer Network housed at the University of Virginia Cancer Center in Charlottesville, VA, for its community-level “Colon Cancer Free Zone” project. This four-person group is the winner of a $3,000 grant and a scheduled stop from the Prevent Cancer Super Colon™, a 20-foot long interactive educational exhibit, to enhance local colorectal awareness efforts.
The project will educate rural Eastern Shore worksites about the importance of colorectal cancer screening, good nutrition and physical activity. Through three interactive worksite sessions, the project will promote healthy lifestyle behaviors through group exercise and cooking demonstrations. The participants will be given colorectal cancer educational materials and educated about screening and their employee health benefits. Previously completed Colon Cancer Free Zones have strengthened many corporate wellness programs in Virginia by introducing new wellness activities and incentives such as walking trails, walking competitions, weight loss programs, and group exercise during the day, in addition to promoting cancer screening.
Second-place winner Wyoming Cancer Resources Services aims to increase colorectal cancer awareness and screening by distributing educational materials about lifestyle changes and cancer prevention and early detection. The group will receive a $1,500 grant and will partner with a local surgeon to discuss screening and colon health on the radio and at a food pantry, along with other events. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in Hogansburg, NY, won third place for their Community Wellness Day activities focused on health promotion and increasing knowledge about cancer risk factors and screening. They aim to use fun ways to educate the community and ultimately reduce colon cancer mortality on their reservation.
“There were 10 great Challenge groups for this year’s competition, all focused on making a difference in their communities in creative ways. The Foundation is proud to support the valuable colorectal cancer projects of the 2013 Challenge,” said Erica Childs Warner, Director of Evaluation and Outreach. All three winners will receive recognition on the Prevent Cancer blog, the Screening Saves website and in Prevent Cancer’s online and print newsletters.
ScreeningSaves.org also serves as an online community where individuals can share personal stories and experiences, try out interactive tools and learn more about colorectal cancer and screening. The Prevent Cancer Foundation thanks everyone that joined the Screening Saves community, all of this year’s applicants and sponsors Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Genentech.
# # #
About The Prevent Cancer Foundation
Founded in 1985, Prevent Cancer Foundation is one of the nation’s leading health organizations that has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than $130 million in support of cancer prevention and early detection research, education and community outreach programs across the country.
For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
