DAUPHIN Harrisburg Community Cancer Network
About the Harrisburg Community Cancer Network A community-academic partnership to reduce the burden of cancer in Harrisburg and Dauphin County with a focus upon minority and medically underserved populations. Begun in 2009 Led by the Community Engagement Advisory Board Conducts evidence-based outreach and education Helps cancer researchers understand the community Spans the cancer continuum prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship Approach Guided by the Community Engagement Advisory Board, we partner with individuals, communities, churches, health care providers, and other organizations on communitybased strategies to address the cancer problem in Harrisburg and Dauphin County. The foundation of our approach is data from our community and using what is known to reduce cancer burden. We value continued training for individuals, families, students, health care providers, and researchers.
Services Cancer education Outreach Community-based research Screenings Programs Annual Harrisburg Cancer Education Summit - First Saturday of November Annual Cancer Survivors Day - First Sunday of June Community Health Worker Program Harrisburg Breast Cancer Support Group
Prevention Two of every three cancers are associated with tobacco use or being overweight. The best overall health plan is to have regular health checks, not use tobacco, avoid being overweight, engage in regular physical activity, and limit alcohol intake. There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. Regular mammograms will detect it early when treatment can be most effective. New cases African-Americans have a higher rate of cancer than do other races. People without health insurance have higher rates of cancer than do people with health insurance. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African-American women. Survival African-American women have a lower survival rate from breast cancer than do women of other races. The difference in survival can be attributed to both late state at diagnosis and poorer stage-specific survival. One out of three African-American women diagnosed with breast cancer will not survive it.
Harrisburg and Dauphin County during 2009 Among Harrisburg residents, 200 men and women were diagnosed with cancer; 32 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Among Dauphin County residents, 1,376 people were diagnosed with cancer; 162 were African-American and 22 were Hispanic. The rate of death from cancer for African-Americans in Dauphin County was 42 percent higher than it was for Whites in Dauphin County.
Our Beginnings and You In 2009, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute conducted four focus groups with twenty-six African- American breast cancer survivors from Harrisburg. These women told us about: Barriers to cancer diagnosis including fear surrounding mammography A lack of sensitivity during diagnosis delivery Barriers to treatment including lack of insurance and lack of support during treatment The need for a patient navigator to guide them through cancer diagnosis and treatment The findings from these focus groups determined the need for an organization like Harrisburg Community Cancer Network. Since its establishment, the Network has acted upon the findings from the focus group by establishing: A community health worker program to reduce the fear of a mammogram A support group for breast cancer survivors in Harrisburg An annual celebration of cancer survivorship in houses of worship in Dauphin County Education on fruit and vegetables for members of African-American churches in Harrisburg An annual cancer education summit in Harrisburg Your Participation As a community-based organization, we welcome your participation in the Harrisburg Community Cancer Network. We are always interested in new members possibly as a community health worker, an educator, a communications expert, or as a cancer survivor who can help others through diagnosis and treatment. More importantly, we want you to adopt a healthy lifestyle and have regular cancer check-ups. If you think we can help you or a loved one, please contact us.
Community requires a caring commitment.
Harrisburg Community Cancer Network Our Team Eugene Lengerich, V.M.D., M.S., Director Robin Perry-Smith, M.H.A., Program Manager Patricia Robinson, B.S., Community Health Worker Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute 500 University Drive, MC CH69 Hershey, PA 17033 Phone: 717-531-1050 Fax: 717-531-0480 PennStateHershey.org/canceroutreach U.Ed. MED 3929-11 CAN