Cancer Plan Minnesota: Our Call to Action
Cancer Plan Minnesota 2005-2010 outlines 24 objectives that will make significant progress in reducing the burden of cancer among all Minnesotans. To accomplish these goals, everyone needs to be involved in the effort. The Minnesota Cancer Alliance and its constituent groups will work to achieve these goals, and there are things that each of us can begin to do right now to help work toward the mission of eliminating the burden of cancer for all Minnesotans.
Below are a few examples of what you can do to help work toward this mission. Use these examples, and think of other actions you can take to reduce the burden of cancer throughout Minnesota. Fill in the blank spaces with your own ideas.
What Can You Do?
If you are a hospital …
· Ensure that your cancer cases are reported in a timely manner
· Provide meeting space for cancer support groups
· Collaborate to sponsor community screening programs
· Acquire or maintain American College or Surgeons accreditation
If you are a local health department …
· Provide cancer awareness information to citizens
· Collaborate in community walking campaigns
· Work with physicians to promote screening programs and cancer reporting
· Provide space for survivor support groups
If you are a community-based organization …
· Provide cancer awareness information to constituents
· Promote cancer screening among clients
· Encourage participation in clinical trials
· Collaborate to provide community prevention programs
If you are a professional organization …
· Provide cancer awareness information to constituents
· Promote cancer screening among clients
· Encourage participation in clinical trials
· Collaborate to provide community prevention programs
If you are an employer …
· Provide healthy foods in vending machines and cafeterias
· Encourage employees to increase physical activity
· Collaborate with hospitals to host screening events
If you are a school or university …
· Include cancer prevention messages in health classes
· Provide healthy foods in vending machines and cafeterias
· Increase physical education requirements
· Make your entire campus smoke-free
If you are a faith-based organization …
· Provide cancer prevention information to members
· Learn how to provide healthy potlucks and meals at meetings
· Open your building for walking clubs in cold weather
· Encourage members to get cancer screening tests on time
If you are a physician …
· Make sure patients get appropriate cancer screening tests
· Refer patients to smoking cessation classes and nutrition programs
· Be sure your cancer cases are reported in a timely way
· Find out how to enroll patients in clinical trials
· Make earlier referrals to hospice for end-of-life care
If you are a legislator …
· Help secure funding for comprehensive cancer control
· Raise constituents’ awareness about cancer prevention and control programs in your district or help establish new programs where needed
· Sponsor or support legislation that promotes cancer prevention and control
· Ensure that all Minnesotans have access to health care and to cancer early detection screening services
· Ensure that tobacco settlement funds are used for tobacco and cancer control purposes
If you are a Minnesotan …
· Stop smoking or never start
· Eat more fruits and vegetables and maintain a healthy weight
· Increase your daily physical activity
· Know when to be screened and do it on schedule
· Support smoke-free environment legislation
· If diagnosed with cancer, consider enrolling in a clinical trial
· Show your support and care for those who are diagnosed with cancer
· Volunteer with your hospital, health department, faith community, or local American Cancer Society
We are not powerless against cancer! Each of us can do many things each day that will ultimately reduce both our own personal risk of cancer, and in turn, Minnesota's overall cancer burden. In the end, we will look back and say that we had a part in eliminating the cancer burden for all Minnesotans!
Adapted from the Ohio Cancer Plan: 2010 with permission granted from the Ohio Partners for Cancer Control.
| 