Pictured: Jasmin Eugene, PharmD, BCOP, Xavier University of Louisiana, Shawn McKinney, MD,MPH, FACS, LSU Health New Orleans, and KiTani Parker Lemieux, PhD, Xavier University of Louisiana

Community outreach programs and events sponsored by the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) spread awareness of risk and prevention across Louisiana during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

With support from the LCRC, the Xavier University of Louisiana RCMI Center for Cancer and Health Disparities hosted a “Let’s Talk: Breast Cancer” event that highlighted community resources and featured a panel of experts who stressed the importance of early detection. "Breast cancer is survivable, and if caught at an early stage, you have an approximately 95 to 97% survival rate. That's unheard of in most cancers," said panelist Shawn McKinney, MD, MPH, FACS, a breast surgery and surgical oncology specialist at LSU Health New Orleans.

LaKeisha Williams, PhD, Co-Lead of the LCRC Population Sciences program and associate professor at Xavier University of Louisiana, said that community health town halls provide an opportunity to share information, address health disparities, and improve health literacy in New Orleans and surrounding communities. “Through our collaborations with the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, Xavier University of Louisiana’s RCMI Community Engagement and Outreach Core, and the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education, we are able to bring healthcare professionals, researchers, and residents together around important health issues. What I value most about these town halls is that they go beyond simply sharing health information. I enjoy hearing community members ask questions, share their personal experiences, and engage directly with healthcare professionals.”

Xavier University's student-led Cancer Education and Resource Club, also supported by the LCRC, participated in five separate events, including a lecture by LCRC faculty member and Tulane Cancer Biology instructor Jorge Belgodere, PhD, three informational events, and a "Totes for Hope" event, where members made totes for women with breast cancer.

Communities of Color Network, an LCRC and Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center program,  participated in the “Treasure Chest” Breast Cancer Awareness Event in Youngsville, Louisiana, sharing information on breast cancer awareness and prevention. Through an interactive lung display and educational outreach, attendees learned about the harmful effects of tobacco and vaping, as well as the connection between secondhand smoke exposure and breast cancer.

The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, (TFL), also an LCRC program, conducted media interviews on the connection between smoking and an increased risk of breast cancer. Regional Manager Mitzi LaSalle, appeared on KALB-TV to discuss.

‍

‍

‍