FEBRUARY 2019
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Helping Alaskans Prevent and Survive Cancer
February is National Cancer Prevention Month.
It’s a good time to think about the ways you can reduce the risk of cancer for yourself and your loved ones. You can take these steps that have been shown to prevent cancer:
- Be physically active and follow a healthy diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Don’t use tobacco or tan
- Vaccinate children against the human papillomavirus (HPV) that has been linked to developing cervical and other types of cancers, and
- Consider genetic counseling if you have a family history of cancer.
Talk to your health care provider about tests to screen for breast, cervical, colorectal, skin and lung cancer. These tests can detect cell changes before they turn to cancer. Learn more about these screenings at the American Cancer Society.
Free Conference to Support Cancer Survivors
Some cancers can’t be prevented, despite people’s best efforts to make healthy choices. For the thousands of Alaskans who are diagnosed with cancer every year, surviving cancer becomes the focus of their health care. The Alaska Cancer Partnership and other sponsors will be hosting the 4th Annual Survivorship Conference, called Moving Beyond Cancer To Wellness, on April 20, 2019, at the BP Energy Center in Anchorage. This event is free and open to the public, and will be a place for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families and health care professionals to learn about wellness beyond cancer. For more information, follow the Alaska Cancer Partnership on Facebook here. The Alaska Cancer Partnership includes health care organizations, public health programs, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Learn more by reading Alaska’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, which was developed by the Partnership to show how multiple organizations and people are working together to prevent cancer and support cancer survivors.
Free Series to Help Providers Care for Cancer Survivors
Surviving cancer is a lifelong journey. After treatment is over, many cancer survivors return to their health care provider for follow-up care. Managing the often complex needs of a survivor can be challenging. For this reason, the National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center developed the Cancer Survivorship E-Learning Series for health care providers. This free series offers a self-paced, course to help providers better understand and care for cancer survivors. Health care providers can earn up to 10 continuing education credits for this series. For more information or to enroll in the training, go here. |
