Field Notes from Local Cancer Education Programs

Field
Notes: Experiences
Planning Local Cancer Education Programs

NEA
members and other education employees all over
the country have been raising cancer awareness
and promoting early detection in a variety of
creative ways. Many are teaming up with others
in their school or community, including cancer
service and education organizations, to increase
school employee access to cancer resources. Their
experiences are summarized below:

Teaming
Up With Existing Events or Organizations:

• Invite
  a mobile mammography unit to your school or
  event. Or invite your health department’s breast
  and cervical cancer control program to talk
  to school employees about low and no cost screening
  services and eligibility.
• Ask
  for a few minutes at existing school, Association,
  or community meetings, such as the PTA, to talk
  about the importance of early detection and
  local services and resources available.
• Collaborate
  with your association’s Minority or special
  Caucuses or ESP affiliate to present at a meeting
  or annual conference.
• Ask
  local organizations to offer a program tailored
  to your schools needs.
• Offer
  an informal open-house with coffee and small
  snacks for a few hours before school, during
  lunch, or throughout the day for school staff
  to stop in and talk with American Cancer Society
  volunteers about early detection.
• Promote
  local activities such as the Race for the Cure
  and Blue Jeans Day (during October, Breast Cancer
  Awareness Month), or other local events.
• Ask
  local TV or radio stations, and newspapers to
  promote your state or local health department’s
  Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program or
  other early detection programs in your school
  or district.

Organizing
Survivors and Other Supporters:

• 
  Organize a speakers’ bureau, support group,
  or education coalition for breast and cervical
  cancer in your school or community.
• Establish
  a mentoring program to pair new survivors with
  other survivors.
• Form
  a local reading club to review new cancer materials
  or articles and to discuss and share information
  on new research, conflicting opinions, media
  coverage, etc.—
• Help
  to organize a walk or special event, such as
  Race for the cure, for your school or Association.
  

Identifying
Existing or Creating Original Materials/Resources:

• Develop
  a brochure or information sheet in collaboration
  with your state/local health department to promote
  their Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program
  to your coworkers and fellow association members.
  
• Create
  a video or picture book of local survivors.
  Arrange to exhibit your creation at local meetings
  and conferences.
• Offer
  to identify early detection (or women’s health)
  materials to create a library in your school
  lounge or nurses’ office for school employees
  to read or borrow.
• Offer
  a presentation/workshop for the male partners,
  friends, and family members to talk about their
  role in encouraging their loved ones to participate
  in early detection screening services.
• Provide
  your school/district or Association newsletter
  editor with a sample article or brochure about
  early detection and local services available.
  Encourage Your School/Association to Support
  Awareness and Early Detection
• Encourage
  your school to explore voice mail or other private
  phone options for school employees to make or
  receive necessary personal calls to health care
  providers.
• Coordinate
  a “brown bag lunch” in the teachers lounge or
  conference room to allow school employees to
  chat informally about early detection issues
  or watch an educational video during their breaks.
  
• Hang
  informational posters in teacher lounges and
  inside bathroom stall doors. ú Send information
  home with students for adult female family members
  or caregivers.
• Include
  pamphlets or other materials with paychecks
  or in mailboxes. Be sensitive to school employees
  who may not be in the regular information loop,
  because they are part time, don’t have mailboxes,
  or work out of the building — such as bus drivers.
  
• Send
  a letter to local association presidents, UniServ
  representatives, and district administrators
  asking them to be supportive of preventive screening
  opportunities, and to support local school employees
  involved in early detection activities.