Sun Life lands grant from American Cancer Society, NFL

As part of its Community Health Advocates implementing Nationwide Grants for Empowerment and Equity (CHANGE) program, the American Cancer Society has awarded a $75,000 grant to Sun Life Family Health Center to implement cancer prevention and early detection activities aimed to improve cancer outcomes by providing education, outreach, navigation, and access to cancer vaccinations and screenings in Casa Grande. This initiative is made possible by a partnership between the National Football League and the American Cancer Society.

The National Football League’s Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer initiative provides funding to support increased access to cancer education, prevention and screening resources in under-served communities through the American Cancer Society.

This grant-funded event is an opportunity to provide cancer outreach and education to increase awareness, help the community reduce cancer risk and promote cancer prevention and regular screenings. Casa Grande is one of 32 cities to have a grant recipient focused on reducing the unequal burden of cancer by focusing on addressing breast cancer disparities and outcomes.

Disparities predominantly arise from inequities in work, wealth, income, education, housing and overall standard of living, as well as social barriers to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment services. The Society collaborates with community health systems to reach individuals in communities with higher burdens of cancer and limited access to cancer screening.

Since 2012, CHANGE grants funded by the NFL have been awarded to community health systems to provide education, outreach, navigation and access to breast cancer screening resources within communities experiencing an unequal burden of the cancer. Collectively, grant funded health systems have provided more than 452,500 outreach and education interventions and have contributed to more than 148,300 breast cancer screenings provided at low or no cost. Thanks to our health systems grantees demonstrated impact and the NFL’s continued commitment to this life-changing work, the NFL is expanding its efforts on cancer prevention and early detection across multiple cancers in 2017. This expanded funding opportunity will continue to address breast cancer disparities while also addressing either colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, or HPV vaccination. The Society’s vision is a world free from the pain and suffering of breast cancer and all cancers. Prevention and early detection programs, such as the CHANGE grant program, help to eliminate cancer-related health disparities and reach this vision.

About the American Cancer Society:The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society’s efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments and earlier detection. We’re finding cures as the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings and more. For more information, to get help or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

IF YOU GO
What: Sun Life Family Health Center in Casa Grande presents: Crucial Catch – Intercept Cancer. Fun activities, food, Arizona Cardinals mascot “Big Red,” Arizona Cardinals players and cheerleaders.
Who: Open to the public – All are welcome.
When: Tuesday, October 24th, 2017, from 3–6 p.m.
Where: Sun Life Center for Women, 1864 E. Florence Blvd., Suite 2, Casa Grande