We've thrown our wide-brimmed hat into the ring for the Gannett Foundation's 'A Community Thrives' program for a chance to win a $25,000 fan favorite grant. The program will also award up to $500,000 in additional grants to eligible organizations. NCC has chosen Sun Smart Schools as our featured program for the funding opportunity, working to secure funding to expand the program into the Elko County schools.
by Kristen Power
Sun Smart Schools, NCC's signature skin cancer prevention program for Nevada's students, kicked off its second year of programming in the 2016-17 school year by expanding from seven pilot schools to 22 participating schools. Students in pre-K through 12th grade in public, private, and parochial schools all participated in the program with the support of teachers, nurses, and school and district administration.
Some of the past year's successes include:
Seven individuals and two organizations received awards recognizing their passion and leadership in cancer control on Monday, Nov. 6 at the Nevada Cancer Control Summit Awards Luncheon. Awardees included an oncology nurse, a breast surgeon, a cancer advocate, and more.
As a coalition, we love a good story about collaboration and partnership. When we heard that two of our partners were working together on a unique project, funded by a third partner, we knew we had to share it with you. The three-partner project works to increase follow-up and surveillance care for breast cancer survivors transitioning to a primary care setting.
Carson Tahoe Breast Center was recently selected as the only provider in Nevada, and one of only 131 worldwide, to participate in the prestigious Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST). Led by Dr. Kinsey Pillsbury, Medical Director at Carson Tahoe Breast Center, this innovative program will offer new advancements, opportunities, and expertise in the early detection of breast cancer. Since opening the comprehensive Breast Center in August 2016, over 10,000 women have accessed the facility for preventive and diagnostic care.
Team NCC, along with several partners from the state’s cancer control programs, recently returned from the National CDC Cancer Conference in Atlanta with a ton of notes, some fresh ideas, and great insights into what other states are working on in cancer control.
The CDC only hosts this conference once every five years, so they pack a plethora of speakers and sessions into just a few days. Being the strategic team that we are, we split up as much as possible and were able to attend many of the sessions. Here are some of the key takeaways we have from the conference:
In 2013 Nevada was the fourth state in the nation to prohibit minors under 18 from using indoor tanning devices. NRS 597 outlines the law's key requirements, which include posting both notices and warnings about the risks of indoor tanning, requiring customers to sign a form acknowledging the risks of indoor tanning, and as mentioned, prohibiting minors from using the devices. It was a victory for NCC and other cancer control partners and numerous legislative sessions working to pass the law.
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
More than a year ago, NCC brought together partners from across the state to form a task force focusing on survivorship and palliative care. That first meeting was a hit, and partners were thrilled to be working together on a portion of the cancer continuum that's so vital yet we felt was a weak point for our state. Shortly after, NCC staff and our counterpart at the State of Nevada Comprehensive Cancer Control Program attended the National Cancer Survivorship Research Conference in Washington D.C. and learned that Nevada wasn't behind at all.
