Cancer Health Equity NOW

The OCOE is back! We're here for season 3 of Cancer Health Equity NOW! For season 3 premiere, we sit down with staff from all three branches in Seattle, Sunnyside, and Spokane to reflect on our previous health equity work and future aspirations. Join us as we meet our new members of the team, talk about our health disparities work, and future direction of our team! :)

For S2 Ep. 10 We are excited to present you with our first episode to come from the Spokane Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. Our Community Health Educator in our Spokane office had the opportunity to interview the Spokane Regional Health Districts' Health Officer Dr. Frank Velazquez. We will get a(n) insight into the work of Dr. Velazquez as a Health Officer in Spokane; and there will...

It is quite uncommon for three National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Centers to form a partnership that addresses cancer health disparities among populations with the highest cancer burden, however, the Community Outreach and Engagement teams at Duke Cancer Institute, UNC Lineberger, and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist take on this incredible challenge by forming the Southeastern...

For Episode 8, the OCOE welcomes a discussion with Dr. Wendy Barrington, Inaugural Director for the Center for Anti-Racism and Community Health (ARCH Center) at the University of Washington and Dr. Rachel Chapman, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Global Health at the University of Washington. We take a deep dive into a discussion on the numerous systemic mechanisms such as historical trauma...

In Episode 7, OCOE welcomes the new Community Health Educator, discuss our thoughts and experiences with Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and our new efforts in Spokane, Washington. We are excited about our continual growth as OCOE and we want to share with you how CBPR contributes to our success and discuss some misconceptions about OCOE.  

In Season 2 Episode 6, we have the privilege to sit down with Martha Zuniga, Deputy Director for Entre Hermanos as she shared her own journey with cancer and her efforts to reduce disparities in the community, especially for those who are underrepresented. She addresses the inequities that continue to negatively affect Latinx communities when it comes to accessing health care and preventative heal...

In Season 2 Episode 5, we explore cancer care in Washington State through the eyes of Community Health Workers. We are thrilled to be joined by board member, Rana Amini, of the Washington State Community Health Workers Association. She gives perspective on current cancer inequities seen in her area as well as best practices for public health professionals to engage with underserve populations. Joi...

"Not only is our relation with our relatives back home or the people we serve but it's also having the responsibility of being accountable to the environment." For Episode 4, we welcome back Dornell Pete (Diné), PhD(c), and Dr. Marc Emerson (Diné) to continue the discussion on how Indigenous relationality benefits their work to have a holistic lens in working with the community in research. Throug...

In Season 2 Episode 3, we are excited to sit down and discuss the importance of patient and community advocacy, and what it means to have the expertise of these powerful voices at the table when it comes to research and cancer-health equity. For this special episode we sat down with survivors and advocates: Bridgette Hempstead, founder of Cierra Sisters; Diane Mapes, Writer/Journalist for Fred Hut...

Relationality is a core value among American Indian and Alaska Native (Indigenous) communities and is embedded in who they are as Indigenous people. Indigenous relationality in research involves developing and maintaining relations with the people, community, and the land. In this first part of Episode 2, Dr. Marc Emerson (Diné), assistant professor in the department of Epidemiology at the Gilling...

The OCOE is back! We're here for Season 2 of Cancer Health Equity NOW! For our season premiere, we sit down and address the issues surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of Multiple Myeloma and breakthroughs in medicine and research as we look to address the health inequities with this rare cancer. Dr. Andrew Cowan will break down the condition of Multiple Myeloma and the disparities that exist....

The Cancer Health Equity NOW! Season 1 Finale is here! Our staff and faculty are on deck for our finale, as we reflect on the various moments from Season 1 and check-in with your OCOE staff to discuss our favorite moments, lessons learned, and more! It has been a great ride with many positive changes along the way including the addition of new team members and newer strategies to address health eq...

The OCOE invites you to engage in conversation around policy! Policy changes in government can have some of the largest and broadest public health impacts, and we're interested in seeing how it relates to health equity in Washington State. Dante' Morehead continues to host and is accompanied by Dillon van Rensburg (CHE for Rural Populations) to share experiences with policy in rural-designated cou...

In this special episode, Program Manager and Tribal Liaison for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance,  Ursula Tsosie, MSPH talks with Leona Swamp, Wolf clan from the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and Executive Director of ASESHATE:KA'TE Grief Services, a Non-Profit Organization focused on helping Indigenous people process their grief in a safe and supportive environment, while also incorporating traditional...

How can we increase diversity in STEM, public health, or the health care workforce? What can we do to create more pathways for underrepresented students and educators to explore careers in science and/or medicine? In this Episode, the OCOE discusses these issues from the perspectives of our experts Dr. Jeanne Chowning, Kate Ceronsky, RNP, our own Community Health Education Manager-Hallie Pritchett...

The Fred Hutch COVID-19 Clinical Research Center (CCRC) was one of the first establishments in the nation to focus work on treating and preventing the virus. Now that there are vaccines and new treatments, there is still work to be done in ensuring underserved communities have equally successful outcomes from studied interventions. How do we promote COVID-19 clinical trials to communities that typ...

American Indian and Alaska Native (Indigenous) populations continue to face cancer health disparities. Misrepresentation in data and a health care system focused on illness rather than prevention are some of the major contributions to these cancer health disparities. What does building trust and relationships with an Indigenous community organization look like? Kris Rhodes, MPH and Myra Parker, Ph...

What should "Anti-Racism" look like through a health equity and research lens? And what role can diversity, equity and inclusion play? In Episode 5, we reflect on the lessons learned from the year 2020 when it comes to health equity and systemic racism. Dante' Morehead sits down with Dr. Michelle Andrasik, Dr. Wendy Barrington, and Dr. Paul Buckley to reflect on how these issues affect African Ame...

Our current cancer screenings are a great tool in detecting cancer at an early stage, with a heavy focus on heterosexual and cisgender populations. Genya Shimkin (she/they) is the CEO and creator of the Q Card Project, which provides queer youth a simple communication tool designed to improve communication between patients and their medical providers. Genya joins us to bring awareness to LGBTQIA+...

With an immediate shift and "pivot" to more virtual work, how can health educators make the same difference in the communities that they serve? For this Episode, Dante' sits down with health educators Lisa Scheib, Katarina Lauderback and Dillon van Rensburg to discuss the role of health education and their perspectives on health education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team discusses current pr...

Representation within public health research and our health care system is needed to tackle cancer health disparities. Join us for our second episode as we introduce and engage in our topic with our Indigenous colleagues and community champions from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). Learn more about the həliʔil Program, an Indigenous lung cancer screening and tobacco cessation program, and...

The Office of Community Outreach & Engagement is excited to launch our podcast series entitled: "Cancer Health Equity NOW" Join us for the first episode as we introduce you to our incredible team, learn more about our interesting personalities, discuss our roles, talk about the work that we do in addressing health inequities, the history of our office, our goals, missions, and values.  Get to know...