| March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 
The New Hampshire Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration has made the pledge to help increase colorectal cancer screening rates by supporting the 80% by 2018 initiative, led by the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable.
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13th Annual Meeting
Cancer Control and Prevention: Integrating Clinical and Public Health Efforts
Early-bird pricing
ends this Friday!
Wednesday, April 4th
8:00am - 4:00pm
Grappone Conference Center
Concord, NH
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Upcoming Events
March 21:
April 11, 2018
NH Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Concord, NH
Stay tuned for more details
April 25, 2018
Nashua, NH
Film screening and discussion
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| Click Here To Become a Member of the NH CCC |
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A Message from the Board Chair
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Robert Gerlach, Chair, NH CCC Board of Directors
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I hope your transition from 2017 to 2018 was smooth. In 2016, Dartmouth introduced me to the lifecycle of the world's largest flower, the corpse flower or titan arum (Amorphophallus titanium), which, because of its size (5 feet) needs at least 5 years to nourish a blossom that lasts for less than five days. I often say project management is not that different, for the fate of a launch is more dependent on the months of preparation than the last-minute arrangements.
Your Board recently has been investing time in two preparations for the coming year (and beyond). First, given the breadth of our interests in the control of cancer, we have been identifying key areas in which we anticipate focusing our efforts. Our selections to date have been: assisting smokers with tobacco treatment, pursuit of youth HPV vaccination, community support for colorectal, cervical, and breast screenings; and systems support for survivorship services. Similarly, the Board is identifying where best to provide infrastructure to support these efforts. Discussions to date have emphasized core support by the Director of our Collaboration, Terry Johnson, for our army of voluntary efforts; communication among the troops via the NHCCC website, our annual convocation, and the CDC-funded implementation projects in target areas.
I hope you agree we are setting a stage upon which our members, individually and collaboratively, can capitalize in the coming year.
On a related note, I want to remind members about two specific opportunities. First, we welcome invitations to publicize the work of NHCCC as part of relevant meetings you may be organizing in your local communities or home institutions. Second, you may recall we launched last year recognitions of the 2016-17 accomplishments of members. The inaugural class included Ashley Conley (Greater Nashua Cancer Prevention Meeting), Regina Flynn (NHCCC Equity Task Force white paper), Justin Pentenrieder (HPV Vaccine Stakeholders Working Group), and Jenna Schiffelbein (Equity Task Force tobacco implementation project).
You will receive a separate communication inviting you to submit your nomination of those at the forefront of our current efforts who warrant recognition at our upcoming annual meeting on April 4th.
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NH Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration Awards Funding for Multiple HPV Vaccination Projects
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The New Hampshire Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration (NH CCC) has awarded $12,000 in funding to support projects targeted to increase HPV vaccination rates in New Hampshire.
On average, 130 people in NH are diagnosed with cancer every year that is likely caused by HPV infection. Despite the availability of no-cost HPV vaccine less than half of children in NH complete the HPV vaccine series.
Funding has been awarded for three projects.
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Mapping Palliative Care in NH Survey Results Now Available
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The NH Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration and NH Hospice and Palliative Care Organization enlisted the University of New Hampshire Survey Center to conduct a
Mapping Palliative Care in NH Survey.
The purpose of the survey was to understand the current landscape of palliative care services in the state, how patients access palliative care services, and to identify barriers to care and what can be done to remove those barriers.
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NH Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration Releases HPV Vaccination Issue Brief
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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.; in fact, about 90% of people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Several high risk types of HPV are known to be precursors to cervical cancer, as well as anal, penile, vaginal, vulvar, rectal and oropharyngeal (mouth/throat) cancers.
An estimated 31,500 new HPV attributable cancers occur in the United States each year: 19,400 among females (of which 10,600 are cervical cancer) and 12,100 among males (of which 11,600 are oropharyngeal cancers). Unfortunately, cases of oropharyngeal cancers are on the rise, and as of 2013, the age-adjusted incidence rate for HPV-associated cancers among New Hampshire males surpassed that of New Hampshire females.
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Featured Partner: Semra Aytur, PhD, MPH
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Addressing the burden of cancer is a high priority professionally and personally for Semra Aytur, PhD, epidemiologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy at University of New Hampshire.
At UNH, Semra's research, teaching, and service focuses on chronic disease prevention. "Like so many others, cancer has deeply affected the lives of my family and friends," she said. "I am honored to serve on the NH Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration's Board of Directors and as co-leader of the Equity Task Force to give back to the cancer community."
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Public Policy Education Committee Update
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The NH Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration (NH CCC) Public Policy Education Committee (PPEC) is closely following a number of bills during the current legislative session. Among the most closely followed is a bill
related to the reauthorization of the Medicaid Expansion program. Medicaid Expansion was the focus of a recent legislative breakfast hosted by NH CCC stakeholder, the American Cancer Society
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The PPEC is monitoring a number of additional bills of import to comprehensive cancer control stakeholders. These include bills relating to tobacco, groundwater protection, end-of-life choices, healthy food for children, and family medical leave.
The next PPEC is scheduled on March 2 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. If you are interested in becoming involved in or learning more about advocacy, please contact Terry Johnson at
tjohnson@healthynh.org or either of the PPEC co-chairs: Nancy Kane at
nancyekane@gmail.com or Mike Rollo at
mrollo@cancer.org.
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Resources
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This newly updated toolkit from the GW Cancer Center can help you establish a social media strategy, effectively communicate with your audience and raise awareness around this important issue. Updates to this toolkit include new and exciting suggestions for using Pinterest, Snapchat and Reddit to promote your cause.
According to a recently released report from CDC, overweight and obesity are associated with at least 13 different types of cancer, making up 40% of all cancers diagnosed. This infographic provides helpful data, recommendations and resources for addressing obesity as a leading cancer risk factor.
HD
Pulse
, a new online health disparities resource, is available from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities. HD
Pulse
consists of two easy-to-use portals: a Data Portal and an Intervention Portal (forthcoming in Fall 2018). The Data portal will help public health professionals and researchers identify, track, and study issues related to health disparities. The Data portal also offers the ability to explore health disparity topics such as screening and risk factors, socio-demographics, and mortality - with more topics to come! The Intervention portal will offer evidence-based interventions to improve minority health and health disparities. HD
Pulse
was modeled after the
Making Effective HPV Vaccine Recommendations is a training intervention targeted to HPV vaccine providers whose patients are adolescents. The training is designed to help providers more effectively recommend vaccination to the patients' parents, who must provide consent, resulting in greater vaccination rates.
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