News from the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative | September 2023
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RAISING AWARENESS
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
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September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month -- a time to honor survivors of pediatric cancer, provide support to families remembering a loved one, and raise awareness about childhood cancer and its impact on long-term health.
Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death for children. In Wisconsin in 2020, 251 children were diagnosed with cancer.
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, two out of every three childhood cancer survivors will experience significant long-term health issues as a result of their treatment, which can negatively affect their health and well-being for the rest of their lives.
Does your work support the ongoing needs of childhood cancer survivors? If so, we would love to hear from you. What are your successes and/or barriers in addressing the needs of childhood cancer survivors and their caregivers? Let us know, and we may include your responses in future efforts to raise awareness about childhood cancer in Wisconsin.
Photo credit: American Cancer Society
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Related Resources:
American Childhood Cancer Organization: Resources for kids and families affected by childhood cancer, including play medical kits, books for siblings and parents, journals for teens, and more.
National Cancer Institute: Resources for caregivers of children with cancer.
Children’s Oncology Group: Support for children and families navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Learn More:
Join us on September 14th for a special webinar on Pediatric Cancer in Wisconsin. Register today!
Read this month's Member Spotlight featuring Autumn Gentry, Childhood Cancer Advocate from the MACC Fund.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
Applications Open for WCC Survivorship Mini-Grants
The Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative is accepting applications from organizations seeking mini grants up to $1,000 for activities that offer psychosocial support to cancer survivors.
Eligible organizations include health systems, community clinics, tribal health systems or community-based organizations. Proposed grant activities should align with cancer survivorship activities included in the Wisconsin Cancer Plan 2020-2030.
ABOUT THE GRANT:
- Funds are available up to $1,000 per organization
- Five organizations will be selected to receive the funding
- Fundraising events are not eligible to receive funds
- Deadline is September 21, 2023
We invite organizations from all over Wisconsin to apply. Learn more and view full application details.
If you have questions, please contact Alexandria Cull Weatherer at acull@wisc.edu.
The deadline to apply is September 21st.
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2023 Summit News
Wisconsin Cancer Summit | Nov. 1-2 | Register Here
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Nominations Are Open for Our Annual Awards! | |
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Help us honor cancer control heroes who are making an impact on Wisconsin's cancer burden.
Please submit a nomination for one (or more!) of our four annual awards, presented at the 2023 Wisconsin Cancer Summit on November 2.
Collaboration Award:
This honors a group of two or more organizations that have demonstrated effective teamwork in advancing cancer control goals.
Champion Award:
This honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to cancer control outcomes – locally, regionally, and/or statewide.
Impact Award:
This honors an organization or project that has made a significant contribution to cancer control outcomes – locally, regionally, and/or statewide.
Health Care Hero Award:
Introduced in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this award honors a health care worker or a system/clinic/practice for their exceptional dedication to serving and supporting patients while advancing the progress of public health.
Nominations are due September 15. Multiple nominations are welcome.
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Share Your Organization's Story as a Summit Exhibitor | |
Room Block Deadline is October 2nd | |
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Are you traveling from out of town to attend the 2023 Wisconsin Cancer Summit? Don't miss the October 2nd room block deadline!
To reserve a room at the Wilderness Resort, call 1-800-867-9453 and state you are with Leader #988467 (Double queen couch, Glacier Canyon Lodge, $109/night). Available until Oct. 2.
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Summit Registration, Agenda, and More | |
We can't wait to see you in-person at the 2023 Wisconsin Cancer Summit, Nov. 1-2. Please join us for this exciting, inspiring, powerful event!
Registration and event details are below.
2022 Wisconsin Cancer Summit
Nov. 1-2 | Wilderness Resort | WI Dells, WI
November 1 | 5 pm - 7:00 pm
Networking Reception & Fireside Chat
November 2 | 8 am - 4 pm
All-day sessions
Free and open to the public.
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RESOURCE ALERT
Two New WCC Reports Released
HPV Paper, Survivorship BRFSS Reports Available
In 2021, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveyed cancer survivors in Wisconsin about their survivorship experiences. This data brief prepared by the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative summarizes the BRFSS findings and identifies opportunities to improve future surveys.
The HPV paper provides a breakdown of local health department vaccine provision at school-located vaccination clinics in 2017 and 2018, before and after funding constraints limited vaccine availability.
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Member Spotlight: Autumn Gentry | | |
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Welcome to our new Member Spotlight series! Learn how fellow members are overcoming challenges, advancing equity, and increasing impact.
This month, in honor of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, we're highlighting member Autumn Gentry from the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) Fund.
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MACC Fund:
Childhood Cancer Advocates
The MACC Fund provides funding for childhood cancer research at Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, UW Carbone Cancer Center and, most recently, Marshfield Clinic. They have committed to providing $35 million over the next five years to a research acceleration initiative at Children’s Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, and UW Carbone Cancer Center.
Autumn Gentry, Childhood Cancer Advocate for the MACC Fund, shares more about the importance of the work they do, how other WCC members can support their mission, and about her powerful connection to this work.
Tell us about your role at MACC Fund.
Gentry: Earlier this year, the MACC Fund created a position for me to develop an advocacy arm for the organization. They have historically worked exclusively with fundraising for childhood cancer research so there is no precedent for this in our organization. To get this off the ground, I’ve been working to make the right connections, collaborate and learn from other non-profits, listen to families affected by pediatric cancer, and develop a vision for what advocacy work can look like for the MACC Fund.
What initiatives are you currently working on?
Gentry: Currently I’m working to develop three areas:
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State level advocacy by collaborating with Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2) to develop supportive materials for DHS and the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative. I am hoping to one day use this to influence legislation for state funding of pediatric cancer research.
- Awareness building through storytelling. I am interviewing families throughout the state impacted by childhood cancer including families of children in treatment, survivors, and those we’ve lost in the fight. All their stories are necessary to paint the picture of why supporting childhood cancer research is so important. I am writing their stories and sharing them through MACC Fund’s social media outlets as well as highlighting the families at fundraising events. Additionally, I am sharing my own experience through speaking engagements.
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Creating family support groups. We are partnering with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to start a support group for families of children receiving cancer treatment at the MACC Fund Center in Children’s Wisconsin. We hope to use this to provide education, community resources and connection.
How can our other members support your work?
Gentry:
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Educating themselves about the current state of pediatric cancer in Wisconsin. Tuning into the upcoming WCC September webinar on pediatric cancer is a great place to start!
- Help raise awareness and support community organizations that support pediatric cancer research and families affected by childhood cancer.
- Encourage their cancer organization to include children in the conversation about cancer.
- Get in contact with me if you would like to support my efforts in any way at all!
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At the end of the day, what inspires you?
Gentry: In 2019, my daughter, Isla, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at 2-and-a-half-years old. She relapsed during treatment but could never make it to transplant due to infections and refractory disease. She participated in a phase l clinical trial once we ran out of options. She died in August of 2020, shortly before her 4th birthday. My daughter died because the standard treatment being used for her was the same one developed decades ago. When that treatment failed, there was no plan B.
Two years after my daughter died, having gone through the pain and trauma I experienced, I continued to receive weekly reports of children in our community either relapsing or dying. I knew I needed to use my experience and voice to fight for the kids in our state. I sought out the CEO of the MACC Fund and, after many conversations about what we imagined for the future of the MACC Fund, she created a position for me to develop this new area for the organization.
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A short list of funding opportunities, calls for proposals, and other news from our members and partners.
To submit an announcement for an upcoming newsletter, please email us.
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PARTNER EVENT
Community Health Worker Conference
The American Cancer Society and Kohl’s Healthy Families invite those who promote health in southeastern Wisconsin to attend a FREE Cancer Seminar on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from 9:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Milwaukee County Zoo's Zoofari Conference Center. Participants will have the opportunity to learn valuable skills and resources aimed at helping their clients prevent and detect cancer.
Registration is required and limited, so please secure your spot.
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Partner Request
Immunize Wisconsin Grant Program Applications Open
Immunize Wisconsin is seeking project proposals for funding vaccine projects, programs and initiatives that significantly advance education and immunization accessibility for the residents of Wisconsin. Submissions are due September 21, 2023.
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Partner Event
Wisconsin Hepatitis Planning Group
The Wisconsin Hepatitis C Program is coordinating hepatitis elimination planning groups to assist in drafting goals, objectives, and strategies to include in their statewide hepatitis elimination plan which will provide direction on how we can achieve hepatitis elimination in Wisconsin by 2030. Planning groups will be held virtually on Zoom and will be one hour in length.
Contact Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator Kailynn Mitchell if you would like to be added to the contact list and/or attend their first planning meeting on October 6 at 11am CST.
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RESOURCES
Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention Resources from the CDC
To help improve awareness of viral hepatitis risk factors and evidence-based prevention strategies, The George Washington University Cancer Center, in collaboration with CDC, developed educational materials on viral hepatitis and liver cancer. The resources include:
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RESOURCES
‘Hazardous’ Levels of Alcohol Use Common Among Cancer Survivors
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open analyzing more than 15,000 cancer survivors in the NIH All of US Research Program showed 77.7% reported current alcohol use. More than one-third (38.3%) reported levels of hazardous drinking (defined as Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption [AUDIT-C] score ≥3 for women or ≥4 for men). This study suggests that not only is drinking common among US cancer survivors, but risky drinking is common, even during cancer treatment.
| | This article may be behind a paywall. | |
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STUDY
The Impact of the Pandemic on Cancer Diagnoses
A recent study published in the Lancet, analyzing data from the US National Cancer database, determined changes in adult cancer diagnoses and stage distribution due to the first year of the pandemic. Between 2019 and 2020, annual stage one diagnoses decreased by almost 20%, and there were lower odds of being diagnosed with stage one disease and higher odds of being diagnosed with stage IV disease in 2020 than in 2019. Furthermore, they found that the following groups were most affected: Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islanders, uninsured individuals, Medicare-insured individuals younger than 65 years, and individuals living in socioeconomically deprived areas.
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RESOURCES
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2021 on Cancer Screening
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology used nationally representative data to determine whether cancer screening rates in the United States during 2021 have returned to pre-pandemic levels. They found screening prevalence for breast, cervical, and prostate cancer continued to be lower than pre-pandemic levels in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing the need for outreach efforts. However, the large increase in stool testing for colorectal cancer emphasizes the important role of home-based screening, especially when healthcare is disrupted.
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REPORT
New Toolkit for Cervical Cancer Screening in Rural Tribal Communities
The Pap-A-Thon Toolkit, developed by Keep It Sacred National Native Network, is designed to help organizations increase cervical cancer screening in rural tribal communities.
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REPORT
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Toolkit
This social media toolkit designed by the George Washington Cancer Center helps your organization implement evidence-based practices when communicating about prostate cancer.
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RESOURCE
Prostate Cancer: Resources to Take Charge of Your Health
This resource from the George Washington Cancer Center helps transgender women and gender non-conforming individuals with prostate cancer talk to their doctors.
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RESOURCE
New Resource for Addressing Food Insecurity
The Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partnership announces a new tool to help identify resources for addressing food insecurity. Members of the Health Behaviors for Cancer Survivors workgroup supported the development of the listing, in collaboration with the CCCNP and with the support of CDC.
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JOURNAL ARTICLE
Wildfire Exposure Linked to Higher Risks After Lung Cancer Surgery
In this cohort study of 466,912 individuals from the National Cancer Database, wildfire exposure was associated with worse overall survival following curative-intent non-small cell lung cancer surgical resection between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2019, suggesting that patients with lung cancer are at greater risk from the health hazards of wildfires, and need to be prioritized.
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RESOURCE
Gynecological Cancer Awareness Campaign
George Washington Cancer Center created a new gynecological cancer awareness campaign. It offers best practices for communicating about gynecological cancer, tips for communicating with diverse audiences, and more!
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INVITATION
National Lung Cancer Screening Day
The National Lung Cancer Roundtable (NLCRT), established by the American Cancer Society, and the American College of Radiology (ACR), and the Radiology Healthy Equity Coalition (RHEC), and the Veterans Health Association, is promoting the Second Annual National Lung Cancer Screening Day on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
Screening centers nationwide are being asked to open their doors on Saturday, November 11 to allow individuals to be screened without needing to take a day off work. National Lung Cancer Screening Day works to rise above the stigma and celebrate individuals who make the decision to get screened for lung cancer regardless of their smoking history or current smoking status.
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STUDY
Rituximab Can Put People at Risk for Severe Disease Caused by Mosquito - and Tickborne Viruses
A recent CDC study reports four out of five patients using rituximab who contracted a mosquito or tickborne virus died. Rituximab is a B-cell depleting monoclonal antibody frequently used for some types of cancer (such as some leukemias and lymphomas) and autoimmune conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis). The CDC encourages health care providers to talk to patients about the risk when on Rituximab and other b-cell depleting therapies (such as CAR-T therapy) and how they can protect themselves from bites. Although reports of these diseases have been rare in Wisconsin, they are increasing in frequency in the United States.
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SUPPORT GROUP
Virtual Four-Week Workshop for Survivors Moving from Active Treatment to Post-Treatment Care.
Hosted by Gilda's Club, Madison
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Sept. 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th
9:00 am - 10:30 am
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CONFERENCE
Blood Cancer Conference
Hosted by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
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Sept. 9th
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
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CONFERENCE
Cancer Seminar for Community Health Workers
Hosted by American Cancer Society
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Sept. 9th
9:30 am - 3:00 pm
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WEBINAR
Pediatric Cancer in Wisconsin
Hosted by Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative
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Sept. 14
10:00 am - 11:30 pm
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WEBINAR
Addressing the Mental Health of Cancer Survivors
Hosted by American Cancer Soceity
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Sept. 19
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
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WEBINAR
HPV Age 9 Webinar
Hosted by HPV Cancer Consortium
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Sept. 28
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
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CONFERENCE
UW Carbone Cancer Center’s 21st Annual Fall Cancer Conference
Hosted by UW Carbone Cancer Center.
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Oct. 20
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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AWARENESS DAY
National Lung Cancer Screeing Day
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SAVE THE DATE
2023 Wisconsin
Cancer Summit
Nov. 1: Networking Reception, Awards and a Fireside Chat 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 2: All-Day Programming, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wilderness Resort, Wisconsin Dells
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REGISTER TODAY
Webinar: Pediatric Cancer in Wisconsin
September 14, 2023 | 10:00am - 11:30am
Hear from our panel of experts working on pediatric cancer including featured speaker, Dr. Christian Capitini of the UW Carbone Cancer Center, as well the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System and others.
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Not a member? Here's how you can join.
Joining the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative is free. We connect you with tools, support, and expertise to help you make the greatest impact.
We hope you'll join us!
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