Louisiana Cancer Research Center’s “Promising Practices Conference” seeks public and community involvement to help reduce cancer rates in Louisiana

(Press-News.org) The Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) is stepping up its statewide efforts to reduce the state’s extraordinarily high cancer rates by enlisting the help of the public and communities.  The LCRC’s newly established Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE) is convening an all-day “Promising Practices Conference” on Friday, June 2 at Louisiana Tech University and online to highlight the resources and assistance that are available to support better health and wellness throughout Louisiana and strategize on ways to overcome challenges.  There is no charge to attend the conference, which is presented by the LCRC in collaboration with the Louisiana Public Health Institute, (LPHI), sponsored by AmeriHealth Caritas. Please register and obtain more information at this website.

Topics include: Listening to Community to Develop Effective Approaches to Public Health and Community Wellness; Focusing on Priority Populations – LSES and Rural populations; BIPOC and LGBT populations; Listening to Researchers – New developments in research, technology.

“We are bringing community members, healthcare providers, institutions, and researchers together so we can learn from one another other - sharing information and resources with the intent of impacting Louisiana's health,” said Earl N. Benjamin-Robinson, director of the LCRC’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE)  and the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.  “We are asking for input from all parts of the state as we frame our statewide strategy.”

LCRC Director and Chief Executive Officer Joe W. Ramos, PhD, agrees: “The LCRC has moved to a holistic and community-based approach toward reducing the burden of cancer in Louisiana – our efforts to improve health and wellness must be informed by our communities, done with our communities, to improve the health in those communities. It is essential that we work together to share resources and help each other overcome the obstacles that are holding Louisiana back from becoming a healthier state. The Louisiana Cancer Research Center is in a unique position to support these efforts,” Ramos said.

Shelina Davis, MPH, MSW, Chief Executive Officer of Louisiana Public Health Institute stated, “LPH is excited to expand its 20-year collaborative relationship with the LCRC, via the Promising Practices Conference.  This collaboration supports Louisianans having opportunities to be healthy and well.”

The conference agenda facilitates sharing of information and creation of a supportive environment for communities seeking to develop effective approaches to public health and community wellness in Louisiana:

Identify and share experiences involving barriers, solutions, and strategies to foster effective public health and community wellness Share experience and strategies to identify and address issues, approaches to collaborations Discussion of resources and services that are available  Identify challenges and discuss approaches to addressing challenges Understanding needs and identifying resources, facilitating collaborations and providing services Reviewing recent/current developments in public health research and examining new or emerging technologies relating to community wellness Identifying applications of research and uses of technologies, discussing collaborations to facilitate future research and develop new and/or more usable technologies.   Speakers will include representatives of different research, non-profit, educational, and community organizations from across the state., and Conferences sessions will focus on participant discussion and information sharing as well as exploring collaborations to benefit community health and wellness.

At the end of the conference, attendees will have learned about a myriad of informational resources for creating successful collaborations between healthcare providers, public health professionals, and the communities they serve.

About the LCRC

Each year, more than 28,000 Louisianans receive a cancer diagnosis. The Louisiana Cancer Research Center serves as a collaborative hub that advances cancer research, improves prevention, and accelerates innovative treatments. LCRC brings together the collective talent of more than 200 researchers from across the state and four member institutions – Louisiana State University Health New Orleans, Tulane University School of Medicine, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Ochsner Health – to improve cancer outcomes for Louisianans and all those touched by the disease. https://www.louisianacancercenter.org/

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