Community Cancer Action Board Newsletter

Issue 3 | March 2021 | CCAB Newsletter

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined? The lifetime risk for developing colorectal cancer is 1 in 23 for men and 1 in 25 for women. Recommended screening is the best way to prevent colorectal cancer. Screening has contributed to a decline in the rates of colorectal cancer among those 65 years of age and older. However, there has been a 2% yearly increase in colorectal cancer cases among those 50 years of age and younger. Rates of colorectal cancer among adults between 20-39 years and 40-54 years has been increasing since the 1980’s. There are significant health disparities in the United States today with African-Americans having the highest incidence and mortality rates.

Research Corner:

Body fatness, weight gain and cancer

Image recreated from Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation

March is also National Nutrition Month. The following article from the World Cancer Research Fund Network addresses weight gain and cancer risks from excess body fat. It includes evidence-based nutrition and physical activity recommendations to reduce cancer risk

Obesity, generally assessed by various anthropometric measures including body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, is now more prevalent than ever.

The increase in the proportion of adults categorised as obese has been observed both in low- and middle-income countries and in high-income countries.

Excess weight and obesity have been linked to a number of other chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

NJ Vaccine Info: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine

Our Next CCAB Meeting

Keep an eye out for a new date in May!

CCAB Member Spotlight

The Community Outreach and Engagement team would like to welcome the newest CCAB members:

Rhina Acevedo

Alka Agrawal

Mahnaz Fatahzadeh

Guillermina Inoa Mencia

JC Irons

MarTisha Kanard-Dwyer

Working Group Updates

Arts & Media Working Group

Citizen Scientist Clinical Trials Working Group

The Arts & Media Group is working to secure a platform to host their community engagement website and mobile app. Meanwhile, members have been establishing the platform's vision and collaborating on site layout and content areas.

The Citizen Scientists are working with Mason Gross School of the Arts to create a clinical trials awareness video. The storyboard review has taken place and next steps include finalizing the script and cast. Filming is expected to take place in April.

A big welcome to our newest team members:

Breast Care Connection

Ariana Figueroa

Breast Cancer Navigator

Ariana is a Breast Health Outreach Coordinator and Lay Patient Navigator for the Breast Care Connection at RWJUH and a Masters in Clinical Social Work student at Rutgers University. She works as a bilingual navigator to alleviate barriers faced by clients when seeking breast health care. She also educates the at-risk population (e.g low-income, uninsured, minority, immigrant population) about the importance of preventative health and early detection in breast health.

Bernilda Quinones

Breast Cancer Navigator

Bernilda is the Program Outreach Coordinator for Breast Care Connection in addition to her role as bilingual Community Breast Health lay-Navigator. For over a decade she has served as an advocate and educator to reduce breast morbidity/mortality amongst culturally diverse cisgender and LGBTQIA indigent populations. As part of the RWJUH/RWJBH/CINJ/NIH collective her goal is to further implement evidence-based strategies, institute community clinical linkages, health system changes strategies and environmental approaches to: Support and reinforce cancer early detection efforts, address the needs of cancer survivors and promote health equity.

Newsletter Naming Contest!

Get those creative juices flowing!

We are looking for a new name for our CCAB Newsletter.

Please submit your entries to outreach@cinj.rutgers.edu

COE Community Events Calendar

We are excited to announce the launch of a 12-week LIVESTRONG community program on March 29th. This program for cancer survivors is hosted by the Summit Area YMCA and the YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge & South Amboy and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and is funded by the NJ Department of Health.

Burlington Camden County Regional Chronic Disease Coalition (BCCRCDC): Pandemic Available Resources Series: HPV-Associated Cancer Screenings & Resources, Apr 1 at 12pm. This session will discuss HPV-associated cancer screening and available programs/resources for people who are uninsured or underinsured, especially during COVID. Registration: https://bit.ly/30cZXX8

Ocean Monmouth Health Alliance: HIV, HPV & Cancer in the LGBTQ Community, Apr 8 at 2pm. Join us as Rutgers CINJ's Community Cancer Control Specialist, Domonique Noel, provides an overview of HPV and cancer prevention including HPV vaccination, current recommendations and guidelines for HPV-related cancer screenings and the association between HPV,HIV and smoking in the general and LGBTQ population. Please join our Zoom Meeting here. Meeting ID: 980 1520 8696 | Passcode: 527732

Cape May County Library: Spring Ahead of Cancer Series: Cancer 101, Apr 15 at 6pm. This webinar focuses on how cancer develops, screening the 5 most common cancers and what lifestyle change you can make to reduce your risk of cancer. Registration available on Cape May County Library events calendar: https://events.cmclibrary.org/events

North Ward Family Success Center: Vamos a Cocinar, abr 22 a las 3pm. Únase a nosotros para una demostración de cocina sobre alimentos saludables que nos ayudan a combatir el cáncer. Para obtener más información, póngase en contacto con ourtreach@cinj.rutgers.edu

Cape May County Library: Spring Ahead of Cancer Series: Lung Cancer & Tobacco Cessation, Apr 28 at 6pm. Learn about the links between smoking and lung cancer and how screening can help reduce lung cancer deaths. Registration available on Cape May County Library events calendar: https://events.cmclibrary.org/events

Healthier JC: HPV and Cancer Prevention, Apr 29 at 10:30am. This webinar focuses on HPV and the risks associated with infection. It also discusses prevention strategies that you can use for yourself and your family. Register today at: https://bit.ly/3rpkWlg

For more information on these and any other COE events please contact outreach@cinj.rutgers.edu

For more events check out our events page

Let us know what you think!

If you have a newsletter submission or topic suggestion please contact us at outreach@cinj.rutgers.edu

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