Native People for Cancer Control:Overview and Updates

Stay in the circle of life…

Purpose

Native People for Cancer Control is a Community Networks Program that aims to reduce cancer disparities through community awareness, education, research, and support in a region with one of the highest proportion of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the nation.

GoalsCancer is the second most common cause of death among American Indians and the leading cause of death among Alaska Natives. Cancer screening tests, high quality health care, and cancer clinical trials are often not available to tribal communities. As a result, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the poorest survival from cancer of all minority groups. Our goals are

To increase how much American Indians and Alaska Natives know about cancer

To reduce the gap between American Indians and Alaska Natives and other groups in cancer screening, diagnosis, and care

To improve the results of cancer treatment in American Indians and Alaska Natives

To improve working relationship between tribes and researchers

Organization of Activities

Community Core: increase cancer education activities among urban and rural Native people

Training Core: build the capacity of tribal colleges and universities to become partners in research and dissemination efforts to address important questions regarding cancer

Training Core: enhance cancer training opportunities for Native researchers

Research Core: conduct community-based research on access to care, health promotion, and disease prevention pertaining to cancer

Goal: Reduce cancer-related health disparities by increasing access to, and use of, interventions in Native populations, and evaluate effort

Who will help achieve these goals?

Dedra Buchwald, Principal InvestigatorJohn Simmons (Nisqually), Youth and Outreach ConsultantDonna LaVallie (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), Program FacultyRose James (Lummi), Program FacultyRosemary Gibbons (White Mountain Apache), InvestigatorSteve Charles (Haida/Tlingit), Research and Student

CoordinatorDebra Sprague, Research and Editing AssistantAndy Bogart, BiostatistianDakotah Lane (Lummi), Research AssistantRyan Morigeau (Flathead), Research AssistantStaff, Spirit of Eagles, Cancer Information Service

Who will help achieve these goals?

Cara Towle, Telehealth Implementation LiaisonCara Towle, Telehealth Implementation Liaison Roy Colven, Project DirectorRoy Colven, Project Director HollyAnna Pinkham (Yakama), Washington Outreach Lisa Thomas (Tlingit), Alaska Outreach Rande Gray, Technical SpecialistRande Gray, Technical Specialist Deborah Friedman, Consultant, Cancer Survivor Care Deborah Friedman, Consultant, Cancer Survivor Care Fransing Daisy (Cree), Mental Health ConsultantFransing Daisy (Cree), Mental Health Consultant Ron Whitener (Squaxin Island), Legal Consultant Ron Whitener (Squaxin Island), Legal Consultant Anjana Kundu, Pain ConsultantAnjana Kundu, Pain Consultant Randy Curtis, End of Life ConsultantRandy Curtis, End of Life Consultant George Guilmet, Program EvaluatorGeorge Guilmet, Program Evaluator

Dedra Buchwald, John Simmons, Donna LaVallie

Steve Charles, Debra Sprague, Andy Bogart

HollyAnna Pinkham, Rose James

Dakotah Lane, Ryan Morigeau

Tribal agencies and communities in Alaska,Washington,Oregon,Idaho,Montana,Wyoming,North Dakota,South Dakota

Who do we support?

How many tribes and Alaska villages are in our region?

67 tribes in Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota and South Dakota

11 tribes and 233 villages in Alaska

About 400,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives live in our 8 state region

The 8 states represent ¼ of the land mass of the United States

The 8 states are largely rural with several large urban areas (e.g., 35,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives live in the Puget Sound area)

Who do we work with?

Tribal Councils Tribal organizations Tribal health clinics Urban Indian Health Care facilities, e.g. Alaska

Native Medical Center, Seattle Indian Health Board

Cancer treatment facilities Cancer Information Service Washington State Comprehensive Cancer

Control Steering Committee

Who do we work with?

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Alaska Federal Health Care Access Network Black Hills Center for American Indian Health Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council Seattle Indian Health Board University of North Dakota School of Medicine

Center for Rural Health University of South Dakota School of Medicine Northwest Indian College National Cancer Institute

SPIPA Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Advisory Board

Organization of Activities

Community Core: increase cancer education activities among urban and rural Native people

Training Core: build the capacity of tribal colleges and universities to become partners in research and dissemination efforts to address important questions regarding cancer

Training Core: enhance cancer training opportunities for Native researchers

Research Core: conduct community-based research on access to care, health promotion, and disease prevention pertaining to cancer

Goal: Reduce cancer-related health disparities by increasing access to, and use of, interventions in Native populations, and evaluate effort

Native People for Cancer Control: Community Core

Co-Leaders: Deborah Bowen, Ph.D. and Walt Hollow, M.D. (Assiniboine/Sioux)

Activity 1: Community outreach and dissemination of existing programs and materials

Activity 2: Technical assistance and program development, e.g., cancer educational materials

Activity 3: Educate American Indian and Alaska Native health professionals

Native People for Cancer Control: Training Core

Co-Leaders: Scott Ramsey, M.D. and Jeff Henderson, M.D. (Cheyenne River Sioux)

Activity 1: Build capacity of tribal colleges and universities, e.g., fund pilot projects, summer internships

Activity 2: Support activities to train researchers for non-doctoral level professionals and post-doctoral American Indian or Alaska Native professionals, e.g., Native Investigator Career Development Program

Native People for Cancer Control: Research Core

Co-Leaders: Dedra Buchwald, M.D. and Bonnie Duran, Ph.D. (Opelousas/Coushatta)

Project 1 Test a smoking cessation program among American

Indian youth in 2 urban sites

Project 2 Assess and improve screening for cervical cancer in

2 American Indian communities

Describe how often human papilloma virus infection occurs and if it is linked to risk factors for cervical cancer (e.g., smoking)

Native People for Cancer Control: Research Core

Project 3 Determine the factors that might influence a person’s participation in a cancer clinical trial Compare different numerical and visual ways of presenting information to determine which methods best convey information on cancer

Project 4 – Link the Washington SEER with IHS records to identify Native persons diagnosed with breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer

– determine the true incidence of these 3 cancers among American Indians and Alaska Natives

Native People for Cancer Control: Art for Cancer

Leader: Steve Charles; Artists: Chholing Taha, Roger Fernandes; Ryan Morigeau

Purpose is to raise cancer awareness and increase cancer prevention activities among Native people

The Art for Cancer program has Produced educational posters on the program and specific cancers

Published brochures for example, “What Are Clinical Trials?”

Designed our new logo

Stay in the circle of life…

Art for Cancer Posters

Contact us at www.uwccer.org

for more information

Native People for Cancer Control March 2006 Conference

What happened after the last conference?

Established new collaborations

Had 5 new grants funded

Funded 10 Community Grants

Enhanced existing relationships

Developed a model for short term training of junior investigators

Gained knowledge and heard about tribal needs

And reaffirmed…..

The Importance of Culture

Tom Torlino (Navajo) as he Tom Torlino (Navajo) as he appeared upon arrival to the appeared upon arrival to the

Carlisle Indian School, October 21, Carlisle Indian School, October 21, 18821882

Tom Torlino (Navajo) 3 years Tom Torlino (Navajo) 3 years laterlater

Photos from:

http://home.epix.net/~landis/main.html