Our community engagement newsletter is developed by LUNGevity Foundation to share information and models of notable practices in equitable lung cancer care nationally, leaders on the move, and new resources that you can use with your constituents. We are committed to making an immediate impact with you by increasing the quality of life and survivorship of all people diagnosed with lung cancer, accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, and offering community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. Resources Developed with Experts Like YouCancerCare in partnership with LUNGevity, UIC, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center launches Connecting for Lung HealthLUNGevity joined forces with CancerCare to launch Connecting for Lung Health, a new program to encourage the use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screenings among older Black men consistent with the new lung cancer screening guidelines. The program, launched in June in two key communities (Brooklyn, NY, and Chicago, IL), combines community outreach, lay navigation, HCP engagement, health literate and culturally sensitive education, and CancerCare case management. This program is led by a steering committee that includes Ellen Sonet, JD (CancerCare), Phoenix Matthews, PhD (UIC), Erica Phillips, MD (NYP/WC), and Jeanne Regnante (LUNGevity Foundation). Details about the program, including an animated video that tested very well with communities, are available on our website in our new Health Equity section under Health Literate Resources. All Together Now for Inclusive Cancer Clinical Trials: A focus on lung cancerDespite efforts to increase ethnic and racial diversity in cancer clinical trials in the United States, inequities in representation unfortunately remain. To combat these concerns, LUNGevity Foundation formed a collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer, PlatformQ Health, and Moffitt Cancer Center leaders Janelle Gray, MD, Susan Vadaparampil, PhD, MPH, and Amit Tandon, MD, to launch the All Together Now educational initiative intended for patient, caregiver, HCP, and clinical trial team audiences. The program offering is a webinar featuring an expert panel of medical advocates and patients as well as a team of experts from the Moffitt Cancer Center who discuss the benefits and expectations with patients who have participated in clinical trial research. The target audience is people with lung cancer, caregivers, HCPs, and the clinical research team. The educational video is available on-demand free by registering at Cancercoachlive.com. A certificate of completion will be provided. We are interested in your feedback on the use of this program with your constituents. You can see the full press release here. LUNGevity expands library of health literate screening and early detection materials: Lung Cancer BasicsLUNGevity has engaged Health Literacy Media (St Louis, MO) to produce materials that help communities at risk obtain the skills needed to access and understand lung cancer screening as an option. Linda Fleisher, PhD (Fox Chase Cancer Center), helps to ensure relevance to people with cancer and a quality methodological approach. Our comprehensive health literate booklets and fact sheets on lung cancer screening and early detection, available in both English and Spanish, offer health literate, culturally relevant, and linguistically appropriate education for both patients and caregivers. These include questions for communities to discuss with their health care providers as they begin their cancer treatment journey. Both the booklets and fact sheets are free to download and cover a wide range of topics from understanding one’s risk of lung cancer to navigating insurance coverage. An abstract was recently accepted at the AACR Cancer Science of Disparities meeting outlining the methods and deliverables of our lung cancer screening educational materials. We thank the cancer center outreach leaders who have participated in focus groups as well as helped with the recruitment of patient focus groups for our Lung Cancer Basics educational materials. We are interested in your use cases of this material and learning from you and your teams. To share your experiences, please contact jregnante@lungevity.org. News You Can UseDr. Raymond Osarogiagbon honored as LUNGevity Community ChampionLUNGevity is pleased to recognize Raymond U. Osarogiagbon, MBBS, FACP, as a Community Champion honoree. A member of the LUNGevity Health Equity Council, Dr. Osarogiagbon serves as Chief Scientist at Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation as well as Director of the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program and the Thoracic Oncology Research (ThOR) Group at Baptist Cancer Center in Memphis, TN. During his tenure at Baptist Memorial Health Care, Dr. Osarogiagbon oversaw the successful growth of Baptist’s lung cancer initiatives, targeting communities across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. In addition to his role at Baptist Memorial, Dr. Osarogiagbon is a Research Professor at Vanderbilt University and a Research Member of the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center. He is also the 2021 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Slotnick Memorial Lecturer. International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference sessions now available for streamingThis August marked the virtual return of LUNGevity’s International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference (ILCSC), a unique event designed by and for people diagnosed with lung cancer and their caregivers. The two-day conference, now in its 11th year, taught attendees how to live well with lung cancer while providing opportunities to connect with other survivors, hear from world-renowned researchers on the latest treatments, and learn ways to manage their disease. If you missed your chance to take part in this dynamic experience, you can now view over 30 recorded sessions on-demand on our website. LUNGevity announces winners of 2021 research awardsThe Foundation is thrilled to announce the 12 outstanding winners of our LUNGevity Research Awards. This year, LUNGevity offered five award programs, including three new ones, totaling $2.9 million over their terms. Many thanks to the LUNGevity Foundation Scientific Advisory Board members for their guidance and to the Development team for making the following awards possible.
A list of funded projects can be found on our website. To date, LUNGevity has invested in 149 research projects at 61 institutions in 23 states focusing on early detection as well as more effective treatments of lung cancer. Please join us in congratulating the awardees. LUNGevity Health Equity Council Leaders on the MoveDr. Narjust Duma chosen as Associate Director of the Cancer Care Equity Program at Dana-FarberNarjust Duma, MD, has been designated Associate Director of the Cancer Care Equity Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School. Most recently, Dr. Duma was on staff at the University of Wisconsin. In her dual role at the Cancer Care Equity Program, Dr. Duma will develop strategies to diminish healthcare disparities and enhance the delivery of cancer care to the greater Boston community. In addition to her new positions, Dr. Duma will continue her clinical practice as a thoracic oncologist focused on the wellness challenges of women living with lung cancer. Dr. Chanita Hughes-Halbert joins the Health Equity CouncilLUNGevity is pleased to welcome Chanita Hughes-Halbert, PhD, to our Health Equity Council. She currently serves at the Keck School of Medicine of USC as a professor and vice-chair of research in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. She is also Associate Director for Cancer Equity, a newly created position, at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Karriem Watson is selected as NIH’s All of Us Research Program’s Chief Engagement OfficerKarriem Watson, DHSc, recently accepted a role within the National Institutes of Health as Chief Engagement Officer. He will lead the agency’s efforts to foster relationships with patients, communities, researchers, and providers across the US to help build one of the largest, most diverse health databases of its kind to study health and illness. Vanderbilt University appoints Dr. Karen Winkfield as Professor of Radiation OncologyKaren Winkfield, MD, PhD, a nationally known community engagement expert, has been named Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s newest professor of radiation oncology. Her research focuses on the design and implementation of programming to reduce sociocultural and economic barriers that contribute to disparate health outcomes for racial/ethnic minorities and underserved populations. Currently, there are only 27 Black radiation oncologists in faculty positions throughout the United States. Dr. Robert Winn elected President-Elect of AACI Board of DirectorsRobert Winn, MD, Director and Lipman Chair of Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center, has been elected by the members of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) as president-elect of the AACI’s board of directors, effective immediately. In addition to his work at the AACI and VCU Massey, he is Senior Associate Dean for Cancer Innovation and Professor of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, VCU School of Medicine. Featured Abstracts, Publications, and Webinars That Caught Our EyeHealthcare System Approaches to Achieve Equity in Cancer Pain ManagementIn this excellent NIH webinar, LUNGevity Health Equity Council Member Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD (Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance), talks about the rarely discussed topic of pain management and equity. She applied findings from a recent Journal of Oncology Practice publication, "Development of an Actionable Framework to Address Cancer Care Disparities in Medically Underserved Populations in the United States: Expert Round-Table Recommendations.” Increased Access for Vulnerable Patient Populations to Promote Equity in Lung Cancer Screening—Clearing a PathThis notable publication by UCLA researchers in JAMA Network Open, and an accompanying commentary by Harvard leaders, answer the question: Could improving access to lung screening among Black individuals achieve lung cancer mortality benefits greater than those estimated by the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST)? Does your community have additional questions regarding available services for patients with lung cancer and their caregivers? Please visit the Patient and Caregiver resources on our website. You can also dial our free Lung Cancer HELPLine at 844-360-5864 to speak with an oncology social worker about your inquiries. The HELPLine is available Monday through Thursday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, and Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm ET. Sincerely, Jeanne M. Regnante Chief Health Equity and Diversity Officer jregnante@lungevity.org |