On October 15th, the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) participated in the second annual State of Cancer Caucus and Expo at Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio in Avondale. The event, hosted by Hamilton County Services in partnership with the 513Relief Bus, UC Health, the Cancer Center and AmeriHealth Caritas, aimed to educate the public on cancer prevention, screening and research.

The day began with a forum, featuring a presentation by Melinda Butsch Kovacic, PhD, MPH, Associate Director of COE at the Cancer Center, who provided insights into the state of cancer within our community. Her presentation provided an overview of screening and risk factor statistics for the Cancer Center’s catchment area, highlighted the challenges and disparities faced by populations in Hamilton County and provided action steps to community members to reduce their cancer risk.

Melinda Butsch Kovacic, PhD, MPHAssociate Director, Community Outreach & Engagement University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Associate Dean of Research University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences

Following Butsch Kovacic’s talk, there was a panel discussion on cancer prevention, personal advocacy and available resources. The panel featured leading healthcare professionals, including:

• Elizabeth Shaughnessy, MD, PhD
  University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
• Greg Kesterman, MPA
  Commissioner of Hamilton County Public Health
• Grant Mussman, MD
  Commissioner of the Cincinnati Health Department
• Keith Melvin, MD
  Mercy Health

Following the forum and panel, community members were invited to join the health fair portion of the event. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the UCH Mammography Van was on-site to provide mammography services to appointment and walk-in patients, while the Cancer Center’s COE Team educated community members on Ohio House Bill 371 and breast self-examination. The COE Team facilitated over 100 educational interactions focused on cancer prevention and research related to breast, blood, colorectal, HPV-associated, lung and prostate cancers, including administering 5 lung cancer pre-screenings. Additionally, UC Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Services offered resources to attendees undergoing cancer treatment.

Several of the Cancer Center’s community partners also participated in the event, offering resources and support to attendees. These included:

• Cancer Justice Network
• Cancer Support Community
• PanCAN
• Ohio Breast & Cervical Cancer Project
• Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati
• Center for Closing the Health Gap
• Food for the Soul CT

The State of Cancer Caucus and Expo provided an invaluable opportunity for the community to access cancer screenings, learn about prevention strategies and connect with critical support resources, furthering the Cancer Center’s mission to reduce cancer disparities in our region.