DEAR Cancer Control Partnership,
Welcome to the WA CARES about Cancer Partnership briefer’s first issue of 2024!
As we embrace the new year, the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP) is looking forward to meeting you all at the state cancer coalition- the Cancer Action Plan of Washington (CAPOW) meeting in Olympia on January 24th, 2024.
January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Check out the cervical cancer awareness month section of this newsletter to find some resources and tools to increase the awareness and prevention of cervical cancer. In this issue you will also find exciting content on upcoming events, opportunities, and updates from CCCP and our partners.
We encourage you to actively engage with the content, share with your network, provide your feedback, and participate in upcoming events. Your unwavering support and dedication to the WA CARES coalition is truly appreciated.
We value your contributions! If you have any program updates or events that you'd like to share in this newsletter, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at sahla.suman@doh.wa.gov.
Warm Regards,
Sahla Suman TE
Implementation Coordinator
Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
Prevention and Community Health
WA State Department of Health
360-742-1467
Sahla.Suman@doh.wa.gov
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HPV Task Force Quarterly Meeting: Winter 2024
You can find the agenda and more details about the meeting and the WA HPV Free Task Force on: HPV Free Task Force Meeting: Winter 2024. To join the HPV Task Force or if you have any questions about the upcoming meeting, please contact Sahla Suman at Sahla.suman@doh.wa.gov.
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Northwest CRC Task Force Quarterly Meeting: Winter 2024
To join the NW CRC Task Force or for more information about the upcoming meeting, please contact Sahla Suman at Sahla.suman@doh.wa.gov.
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January is cervical cancer awareness month. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in 2024, about 13,280 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S, and about 4,360 women will die from cervical cancer.
Screening and early detection with Pap smear and/or for the Human papilloma virus (HPV); and HPV vaccination are proven tools for reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the country. Here are some helpful toolkits and other resources about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination:
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January is Radon Action Month. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can build up in both new and old homes. Long-term exposure to Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. Every year, Radon causes about 21,000 deaths in the United States. As it is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, testing is the only way to identify the presence Radon in your home.
High levels of radon in your home increase the risk of lung cancer for the people in your home, especially for smokers. Fortunately, exposure to radon is a preventable health risk. Take these simple steps to protect yourself and your family:
- Test your home for radon.
- Act to reduce radon.
- Retest your home to ensure actions lowered radon to a safe level.
Check out this blog post by WA DOH to learn more about Radon, its testing and way to reduce indoor Radon levels.
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The Washington State Department of Health is calling on students across the Northwest to get creative and raise awareness about the dangers of radon gas by participating in the 2024 Northwest Radon Poster Contest.
Youth between the ages of 9 and 14 living in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are eligible to participate in the contest. Students must either be enrolled in a public, private, territorial, Tribal, Department of Defense, or home school. Students can also be a member of a sponsoring club, such as a scouting, art, computer, science, or 4-H club. Only one entry per student is allowed.
The contest deadline is February 28 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be notified by March 28. Find more information about the contest including the submission forms, lesson plans, and rules at the Northwest Radon Poster Contest website.
Cierra Sisters is organizing a free hybrid event ‘2024 World Cancer Day’ on February 3rd, 2024. In this event the Cierra Sisters will present the “Anti-Racism in Oncology” video series in partnership with Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center as they address cancer health equity in the Black Community. Anyone who is committed to making quality cancer care available to everyone is welcome to join this event.
- Date: February 3rd, 2024
- Time: 12:00 PM- 5:00 PM
- Venue: Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
- Registration: https://redcap.link/x21oly4j
For more information visit: www.cierrasisters.org or call 206-579-4521
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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) is inviting applications for innovative projects to address and improve social determinants of health among underrepresented communities in Washington State, including but not limited to racial, ethnic, physical, and mental ability, gender, sexual identity, geographic location, income, and education inequities.
This community grants awards can be up to $15,000 based on proposal need, for the period of 04/01/2024 – 03/31/2025. Any community-based organizations, non-profits, and tribes in WA can apply for this grant.
How to Apply: Submit applications through the Fred Hutch InfoReady portal by Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 12:00 PM PST at this link: https://bit.ly/CommunityGrantRFA2024. Fred Hutch has released a Request for Applications (RFA) with grant application instructions. For more information and any questions please contact the OCOE at enddisparities@fredhutch.org.
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The applications to attend Camp Kesem at the University of Washington opens on January 24th, 2024. Anyone with a kid interested in attending the camp can now fill out an application for any open spots. Camp Kesem is a program that supports children ages 6-18 affected by a parent or caregiver’s cancer. This chapter of Kesem Camp provides free, fun filled creative programs year-round, a weeklong summer camp program, and a lasting community. Although this program is based at the University of Washington in Seattle, their camp is located in Cle Elum, WA, and they serve the entire Washington region. This application that currently open is specifically for their weeklong, FREE summer camp program. There are two weeks of camp - campers must choose one week to attend. Week 1: August 11 - 15, 2024 and Week 2: August 18 - 22, 2023
To find local camp or learn more visit kesem.org, or check out the following materials:
The week of camp will be full of community, support, new friendships, and fun activities! For any questions, more information, assistance with the application please contact this email address: uwashington.outreach@kesem.org .
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Free Online Trainings by GWU for Healthcare Professionals
Sexual Health and Cancer Survivorship Online Training
The GWU is offering online training to learn about how cancer treatment impacts sexual health and ways to support patients. Free CME is available for this course. Click here to register.
Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines for Peripheral Neuropathy, Fertility Preservation and Osteoporosis Management
This training intends to introduce learners to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) cancer survivorship care guidelines on managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy management, fertility preservation and osteoporosis management in adult survivors with nonmetastatic disease. Click here to register.
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