In our Supporter Spotlight series, JOY magazine shines a bright light on the businesses, organizations and individuals that help the Joy to Life Foundation continue its lifesaving work and help JOY magazine tell the Foundation’s story. Here, Nancy Wright, Director of the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Cancer Prevention and Control Division shares why her team has been a longtime supporter of the Foundation as well as JOY magazine, recently signing on as the publication’s xxx Sponsor.
JOY: What is the Cancer Prevention and Control Division’s primary mission/purpose?
Nancy Wright:
Our mission statement is to “implement programs in Alabama that will reduce incidence, morbidity and mortality related to cancer through prevention, early detection, and surveillance.” This mission supports our department’s vision statement: “Citizens of Alabama will live long and healthy lives untouched by cancer.”
How does the division accomplish its mission?
Federal, state, and local funding enables us to work toward reducing the burden of cancer in Alabama. CDC funds three large programs: the Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Control and Prevention Program (ACCCP). The Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry (ASCR), and the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP).
The ACCCP is the foundation of our division. Through the ACCCP, we are able to facilitate the Coalition that brings together private and public agencies and advocates to leverage resources and collaborate to reduce the burden of cancer. It also enables us to facilitate the development of a 5-year state plan with the Coalition to provide goals, objectives and strategies so that all of our stakeholder's efforts are on the same page and moving in the same direction with our cancer efforts. Finally, the ACCCP enables the opportunity to fund programs and participate with partners on a variety of cancers and not be limited to specific cancer funding.
The ASCR ensures all of our efforts to reduce cancer's burden are data driven. The ASCR collects data on all cancers diagnosed in the state of Alabama, and this data is then shared nationally to enable research and surveillance related to cancer.
ABCCEDP provides free breast and cervical cancer screening to women who have no insurance and are at or below 250 percent of the poverty level. Diagnostic testing is also covered, and women who are diagnosed with cancer may be able to receive Medicaid to cover treatment. Annually the program serves 9,000-12,000 women, and The Joy to Life Foundation provides funding to provide free mammograms and diagnostic services for women across the state through ABCCEDP.
Prostate/Colorectal Cancer Programs: The state of Alabama provides funding to our division to facilitate prostate and colorectal cancer screening for men and women who have no insurance. The funds are provided through proposals submitted by providers.
How does the division benefit Alabamians?
I believe the Division benefits Alabamians by directly providing free cancer screening services and by providing cancer education to ensure Alabamians know that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Cancer can be prevented, and you can be screened for cancer to find it early. Early detection of cancer means more effective treatment and more lives saved. Also, by ensuring a complete registry of all cancer cases, research to better understand and potentially cure cancer is possible. Finally, by collaborating with other experts, advocates and survivors in the state we can support, encourage and expand efforts to reduce the burden of cancer in Alabama. Everyone in our division believes in cancer prevention and early detection. We believe in serving the public. We believe we can and do make a difference.
Why has the division chosen to support JOY magazine and the Joy to Life Foundation for so long?
The Joy to Life Foundation and the ABCCEDP missions are the same: help women survive breast cancer, especially underserved women who do not have access to care. This includes providing free mammograms and diagnostic testing. From the beginning, JTL has provided funds to help us reach women. As funding has changed over the years, JTL expanded to directly help women who ABCCEDP was unable to help. Together, we help to ensure every woman that needs a mammogram can get one. By putting information about our program in JOY magazine, I hope more women will learn about our program and that that will ensure that women who need assistance reach out to us for help.
