Our Mission

To heighten community awareness about cancer, its prevention and early detection, in order to improve the overall quality of life of our five county residents.

What We Do

The ACTION Health Cancer Task Force is currently comprised of 12 members from various Health and Human Services agencies in our service area. Members act as volunteers at programs as well as attend monthly meetings to develop and discuss unique evidence-informed programming specific to our area’s health needs regarding cancer.

Since 2005, the Task Force has primarily focused its efforts on educating the public on HPV (Human Papillomavirus), Cervical Cancer and the HPV vaccine, Gardasil®. Additionally, the Task Force has also provided variety of community health outreach programs for the public, focusing on skin, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers, which are all prevalent in the ACTION Health service area.

The Cancer Task Force’s HPV initiatives and findings on the 2006-2007 population-based provider survey were published in CDC’s electronic peer-reviewed journal, Preventing Chronic Disease, under the title “HPV Vaccine Attitudes and Practices Among Primary Care Providers in Appalachian Pennsylvania.”

The Task Force is also currently working on another journal article discussing the results of the presentations to eligible recipients of the HPV vaccine, ages 18-26 and the current project, which focuses on educating parents of 8-17 year-olds. All of these initiatives were recently presented at an ACCN conference in West Virginia.

Volunteers Make Our Communities Healthier

Our volunteers are integral to the Cancer Task Force’s mission. They provide the vision, support and legwork necessary to provide community health outreach. Many of the members of the Task Force are affiliated with local agencies that provide services for those at risk of developing cancer, such as the Department of Health and Family Planning clinics. Other volunteers have helped link the Task Force to regional and national organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, the Appalachian Community Cancer Network, and the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service.

“The volunteers help ACTION Health provide accurate, innovative and high quality programming to the community,” says Mike Habegger, 2008-09 AmeriCorps Volunteer. “Their dedication to educating the public on complex cancer issues is awe-inspiring, and their enthusiasm is passed on to every person who is able to participate in the Task Force’s programs.”

By virtue of their concern for the health of our communities and their years of experience in the field, the volunteers set the agenda for the group. As experts in their field, they possess the knowledge necessary to know how to develop and address health issues related to cancer effectively and efficiently.

In their service to the community, Cancer Task Force members have been featured speakers at educational programs, developed and assisted in social research studies on the HPV vaccine, and provided practical advice to primary and secondary students on tanning and sunburns. In addition to promoting ACTION Health programs and initiatives to potential participants and partners, they have helped promote the general importance of health and wellness to the community.

Planning for the Future

The Cancer Task Force hopes to continue its series of HPV programming, evaluating and adapting their existing programming to fit the needs of a changing target audience, potentially exploring dissemination of educational materials electronically. The Task Force would also like to be able to present HPV vaccination information to the staff of ACTION Health affiliated hospitals.

Additionally, the Cancer Task Force will be conducting skin cancer programs for pre-k and elementary school-age youth in 2009 and 2010. The group will also be developing a program to target middle and high school students.

The Task Force sees a number of different community health issues related to cancer that need to be addressed in the near future. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, breast, prostate, skin and colorectal cancers occur more often in ACTION Health’s service area than they do across the state. As such, the Cancer Task Force is always ready to assist in the coordination, expansion and promotion of existing programs to address these cancers. Depending on the passions of the volunteers that make up the Task Force, the group will be responsive to new possibilities for funding of programs to address these cancers as well.

“There are just so many areas that can and need to be addressed when it comes to cancer awareness,” says Allison Clark, executive director. “Every time we finish one outreach program, the Cancer Task Force is immediately looking for the next topic, the next population, the next curriculum.”

Indeed, to accomplish such ambitious and wide-ranging goals, the Task Force also seeks to expand its volunteer membership. The topics the group wishes to address are significant to the both the community at large and to health care professional, and anyone who has a passion for serving is welcome to join the Task Force. There is also a desire to reach out to other area partners who identify closely with the Task Force’s mission and can provide resources and support to Task Force initiatives.

Current Projects

Understanding HPV
Sun Safety

Recent programming

Understanding HPV
Sun Safety
Cancer Control Planet
Breast Cancer outreach program
Prostate Cancer project
Colorectal Cancer program
Cancer Topics at various health fairs