Getting Involved:
Corporate Cancer Care
By Leah Smith

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, and half of all men and one-third of all women will develop cancer during their lifetimes.

These are sobering statistics on their own, yet for Delawareans, the stakes are even higher. Delaware citizens' risk of being diagnosed with cancer is about five percent higher than the national average, and the cancer death rate is 11 percent higher than the national average, says the Delaware Health and Social Services' Division of Public Health.

Thee good news is Delaware is making strides in the right direction. Last year the state's cancer incidence rate fell for the fifth consecutive time and the cancer mortality rate for the sixth consecutive time.

Cancer Control Plan
In the face of staggeringly high cancer rates, the state is taking action to develop a clear and usable cancer control plan to inform Delawareans about cancer prevention and begin to combat the high cancer incidence and deaths rates.
 

The Women's Health Screening Program travels to community and state service centers in its creening van, equipped with a mammography suite and an extra room for cervical screenings. Photo courtesy of Christiana Care.

In 2001, Governor Ruth Ann Minner formed the Delaware Advisory Council on Cancer Incidence and Mortality, to advise her and the legislature on current causes of cancer incidences and deaths along with possible ways of reducing Delaware's risk.

The Advisory Council developed a series of short- and long-term objectives and recommendations to address this problem. Short-term recommendations include improving the quality of cancer care throughout the state, increasing screening in order to catch cancer in its early stages and paying for cancer treatment for the uninsured.

Long-term recommendations are aimed at decreasing cancer incidence and death rates and making Delaware a model for quality cancer care and early detection. Eliminating the differences in cancer rates between different races, genders and socioeconomic groups is also a high priority.

One direct result of the Advisory Council is the Delaware Cancer Consortium (DCC), which will carry out the recommendations of the Advisory Council's Task Report. Membership is open to organizations and individuals, from doctors and patients connected to cancer, to businesses, whose missions are not in conflict with the DCC's priorities.

"The Advisory Council is currently at a turning point from planning to implementation," says Paul Silverman, Director of the Division of Public Health. "It's a good time for employers to jump on board."

Getting Involved
Investments in workplace disease prevention and health promotion can benefit both employers and employees by improving productivity, recruitment and retention, and workplace morale, according to the Partnership for Prevention.

In addition to the DCC, employers have other opportunities to raise awareness within their own businesses. Keeping employees well-informed is becoming increasingly important. Eighty percent of employees diagnosed with cancer will return to their jobs, juggling treatment and work together, says Cancer Care Connection's Web-site, www.cancercareconnection.org.

Cancer Care Connection is one of the organizations in Delaware working with the Governor's Task Force to help employers get information out to their employees, a key factor in reducing cancer incidence and death rates. Cancer Care Connection's Corporate Membership program gives companies the chance to provide their employees with benefits and access to information on the importance of cancer screenings, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. These programs help employees get the needed resources during treatment and recovery, says Paula Breen, Executive Director of Cancer Care Connection.

Another company providing help is MediGuide America. This Greenville-based company provides its members with the best available medical diagnosis and treatment if they are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease such as cancer. MediGuide identifies the three leading medical centers in the world best suited to addressing a patients particular condition, and provides the patient with a free second opinion presented in writing to both the patient and his or her physician. Physicians also review treatment plans and recommend other appropriate options or newly available alternative treatments.

Staying Involved
"Employers can also help reduce cancer rates by providing workers with a healthy workplace atmosphere, including low fat food options in cafeterias," says Pat Hoge, Chief Mission Officer of the American Cancer Society.

According to Hoge, employers should also meet with their insurance carrier to ensure that cancer-screening tests are covered in employee benefits. In addition, it is important that there is a liberal time off program that allows employees to take the time to go to the doctor for cancer screenings.

While cancer rates are on the decline, there is still more to be done for the health of Delaware. As people become increasingly educated about the risks of cancer, and ways of preventing the disease, healthier life style changes should follow.

"In the next five to 10 years, cancer rates should begin to decline even faster," says Nicholas Petreli, MBNA Endowed Medical Director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center of Christiana Care. "If people make the commitment to improving there lifestyles, we should see less cases of not just cancer but many health problems, including obesity, diabetes and heart problems."

This story originally appeared in the September/ October 2003 issue of Delaware Business.

Reaching Out to Those at Risk

The importance of detecting cancer early is a key factor to long-term survival. Through its Cancer Outreach program, Christiana Care provides resources for small companies or people who are uninsured or under-insured. Cancer Outreach has two community outreach partnerships: The Women's Health Screening program and the Warriors Against Prostate Cancer, which both hope to increase awareness, and provide cancer screening services with the goal of decreasing cancer statewide.

The American Caner Society's Warriors Against Prostate Cancer travels to area churches and other sites to educate men about prostate screenings. Photo courtesy of Christiana Care.

Cancer Outreach is available to conduct workplace cancer education on topics including breast health, skin safety and prostate cancer, says Natalie Dyke of Christiana Care's Corporate Communications Department. In addition, Christiana Care coordinates with the American Cancer Society's Warriors Against Prostate Cancer, 16 male volunteers who travel to area churches, community centers and work sites to educate men about the importance of prostate screening. The Warriors can speak on a one-to-one basis to encourage prostate health, and when requested will accompany men to exams for moral support.

Women's Health Screening Program, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, provides mammography and cervical screening to high-risk women. For those women who may not have the resources to obtain cancer screenings, the Women's Health Screening Program travels to community and state service centers in its screening van, equipped with a mammography suite and an exam room for cervical screenings.

For more information on any of the available programs through Christiana Care's Cancer Outreach program, call (302) 765-4161.

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To find out more or to get involved contact or visit:

American Cancer Society
(302) 324-4227
www.cancer.org

Cancer Care Connection
Corporate Membership Program
(302) 266-9686
www.cancercareconnection.org/corpmem.html

Christiana Care
(302) 733-1000
www.christianacare.org

Get Up and Do Something
(302) 831-4242
www.getupanddosomething.org

MediGuide America
(302) 425-0263
www.MediGuideAmerica.org

Partnership for Prevention
(202) 833-0009
www.prevent.org/phw.htm

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