|
Together we will reduce the burden of cancer for everyone in Wisconsin.
|
|
|
|
Wisconsin Cancer Council News
| Issue 125
| December 2019
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Using Stories to Improve Screening Rates
Red Cliff Community Health Center receives Cancer Champion Award
By Chloe Weil
 |
|
|
(From left to right) Anna Merritt, Diane Erickson, and Janelle Elza, from the Red Cliff Community Health Center
|
The Red Cliff Community Health Center serves a rural population on and around the
Red Cliff Reservation
near Bayfield, Wisconsin.
"Cancer has had a devastating impact on our community," says Center Administrator and tribal member Diane Erickson. To reduce the burden of cancer, Erickson's staff has developed an
innovative storytelling project designed to improve cancer screening rates and encourage conversations around cancer risk reduction.
Staff members help survivors and caregivers from the Red Cliff community share their cancer stories -- from diagnosis, to the impact on their families, to what life looks like after cancer. Their stories are recorded on video and made available to clinic patients. As a result, more patients are choosing to share their own stories, and even more are opting to get the recommended cancer screenings.
"In our culture, storytelling is the way we pass knowledge from generation to generation," Erickson says. "So storytelling is natural to us."
At a powwow, Erickson once heard an elder say, "The only way to fight something invisible, is to make it visible." For staff at the Red Cliff Community Health Center, this has become a motto. "We carry that now at the heart of what we do," Erickson says. And it's paying off, as more community members choose to "get screened for cancer because they saw a neighbor, a family member, or somebody else telling them their story."
>> UP NEXT:
Watch for a profile of our second 2019 Cancer Champion, Dr. Adedayo Onitilo, Director of Cancer Care and Research at Marshfield Clinic Health System, in an upcoming issue of ENGAGE!
|
|
GET THE FACTS
Vaccinations During and After Cancer Treatment
The latest vaccine recommendations for patients and survivors
By Alexandria Cull Weatherer
Vaccines are an effective tool for preventing disease and infection. However, it can be confusing to know when vaccines are appropriate for cancer patients and survivors.
This confusion is understandable, as
c
ancer and its treatment can weaken the immune system, making patients more vulnerable to infections.
During cancer treatment or in survivorship, vaccines can:
- prevent infection
- fail to trigger an appropriate immune response (or, put simply, not work)
- potentially pose a health risk in immunocompromised individuals
We offer a short review here:
When to Avoid Vaccines
A person should not receive vaccinations while any of the following statements are true:
- Allergic to vaccines or vaccine components
- White blood cell counts are not normal
- Taking immunosuppressive drugs
- Undergoing chemotherapy
- Ongoing infection is present
Vaccination Guidelines for Cancer Survivors
| Safe for Survivors |
Use in Special Cases |
Do Not Use/Use With Caution |
|
Does not contain live virus
|
Only indicated during local outbreaks or when traveling
|
Do not use in survivors with weakened immune systems
|
| Tdap |
Japanese encephalitis |
LAIV ("flu-mist")
|
| Inactivated influenza vaccine |
Haemophilus influenzae Type B |
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) |
| Human Papillomavirus (HPV) |
Hepatitis A |
Oral polio |
| PCV-13 |
Hepatitis B |
Oral typhoid |
| PPSV-23 |
IPV (inactivated polio vaccine) |
Rotavirus |
|
Meningococcus (MCV4 and MPSV4) |
Yellow fever |
|
Rabies |
Zoster (shingles) |
|
Typhoid
|
|
>> DIG DEEPER
Review the complete
NCCN guidelines for more details. And remember, a
ll individuals should discuss their unique vaccination needs with their personal medical providers.
|
|
OUTREACH NEWS
Working Together to Reduce Cancer's Impact
A visit to Stockbridge-Munsee reveals new ideas for collaboration
We went with a central question in mind: How can the Wisconsin Cancer Council be an effective partner and resource in helping
Stockbridge-Munsee
address cancer in their community?
We met with staff, toured the beautiful facility, and listened as members of the community shared concerns and ideas. Several promising interventions emerged, such as raising awareness about the
alcohol-cancer connection
and a research project examining environmental factors that may be related to high cancer rates in the community.
We are grateful to the
Stockbridge-Munsee community
for sharing their time and expertise with us. And we look forward to sharing successful local strategies and targeted interventions in future issues of ENGAGE!
>> GET INVOLVED
|
POLICY COMMITTEE
Tobacco 21: Mixed Response from Advocates
Members of the Wisconsin Cancer Council's Policy Committee weighed the potential impact and limitations of proposed state legislation commonly known as Tobacco 21 during their quarterly meeting in mid-November.
The legislation (
Senate Bill 364
and
Assembly Bill 422
)
would increase the legal minimum age for purchasing tobacco, nicotine, and vapor products from 18 years to 21 years.
Other advocates, however, voice concern that more is needed to successfully address Wisconsin's youth vaping crisis. They warn that the bills do not include vaping products and e-cigarettes in the definition of tobacco products, which may prevent these products from being covered under the state's clean indoor air act.
In addition, the bills do not require licensing for vape shops, which prevents state and local governments from enforcing laws on underage sales. And they prevent local governments from enacting tobacco policies that are more restrictive than state law.
>> LEARN MORE
For the latest action on these bills, sign up for alerts from the Wisconsin State Legislature.
|
CLINICAL TRIALS
Bill Would Clarify Clinical Trial Reimbursement
The legislation,
Senate Bill 489
, would explicitly allow patients, family members, and caregivers to be reimbursed for costs associated with clinical trials, such as lodging, gasoline, and mileage. The bill would clarify in state law that such reimbursement could not be considered coercion.
The purpose of the bill is to remove barriers to participating in clinical trials for cancer patients who cannot afford the additional expenses. The Senate bill's author, Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield), cited evidence that cancer patients who have annual incomes below $50,000 are 30 percent less likely to participate in cancer clinical trials
. Removing economic barriers would allow more patients to participate and would create a more diverse pool of clinical trial participants.
The companion bill in the Assembly, AB 542, is sponsored by Rep. Bob Kulp (R-Stratford).
>> LEARN MORE
For the latest updates on the cancer clinical trials legislation, sign up for alerts from the Wisconsin State Legislature.
|
|
|
|
BRIEFING
Vaping Crisis: What We Know
What do we know about the outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries? How can state policy makers respond?
Review the briefing content here:
|
WEBINAR
HPV Vaccination Rates in WI
Join us next Thursday for a
Member Networking Webinar featuring the latest data on HPV disease and vaccination rates in Wisconsin:
Human Papillomavirus Disease and HPV Vaccination Rates in Wisconsin
Thursday, Dec. 12
10-11 am
Presented by Alexandria Cull Weatherer, MPH, Outreach Specialist with the WI Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
|
|
SAVE THE DATE:
2020 WI Cancer Summit
|
Oct. 29-30, 2020
|
|
Events Calendar
Upcoming events from WI Cancer Council members
|
December 7
LCRF Educational Workshop: Bridging Lung Cancer Patients and Researchers
Hosted by Lung Cancer Research Foundation
December 11
Free Women's Health Series
Hosted by Marshfield Clinic
Want to add an event to the
Member Events Calendar?
|
Resources
Tools to advance your cancer control work
|
|
|
|
 |
Networking Directory
Connect with other Council members and find new partners for your work, through our highly searchable, data-rich member directory tool. (Must be logged in to use. Need help? Email us
.
)
|
User-friendly snapshots of cancer outcomes, risk factors, and demographic data for every county in WI. The 2019 County Profiles are designed to help you increase awareness about cancer's impact in your community.
|
Patient handouts designed for readers with financial, educational, or language barriers.
Handouts cover cancer prevention, lung cancer screening, and colon cancer screening (available in English and Spanish).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use these slides when presenting about the alcohol-cancer connection in your community. Download and tailor them to meet your needs.
|
HPV Fact Sheet
This fact sheet offers a helpful snapshot of HPV vaccination efforts in Wisconsin and the action steps you can take to make a difference.
|
Our monthly networking webinar series helps you connect with other Council members while learning about new approaches to cancer control.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you have an announcement, event, or story idea?
|
ENGAGE is a monthly publication for members of the Wisconsin Cancer Council. Its purpose is the share news and information about cancer prevention and control with our members across Wisconsin.
|
|
|
|
