About Us
Cancer Action Plan for Kentucky
Kentucky Cancer Consortium Partners
Links to Implementation Resources
About Us
Mission Statement
History of Comprehensive Cancer Control and
the Kentucky Cancer Consortium (KCC)
Why Comprehensive Cancer Control?
Program Staff
Consortium Structure
Communication Plan
The mission of the KCC shall be to achieve significant reductions in the incidence, morbidity and mortality of cancer among the citizens of Kentucky through a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated approach to cancer control. This approach covers the cancer continuum from prevention, early detection, care and treatment, through quality of life.
History of Comprehensive Cancer Control, and the Kentucky Cancer Consortium (KCC)The Kentucky Cancer Consortium was born out of the nationwide trend towards conceptualizing cancer prevention and control in a more comprehensive and cross cutting way. Unhealthy behaviors for example, were identified as risk factors for more than one cancer. Disparities in access to care occur across the cancer continuum. Recognition of multiple cross-cutting issues, and the increased impact of many cancer prevention and control organizations working together, was formally acknowledged as valuable through the creation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, which provided seed money, structure, and support for developing and implementing CCC plans in all 50 states, and in several tribes and U.S. Associated Pacific Islands/territories.
Comprehensive Cancer Control: History
- Not very long ago, cancer was a death sentence.
- The 1971 National Cancer Act, which invested in cancer research, was a big step forward in the commitment to address cancer as an issue.
- Research initiatives developed for specific cancer organ sites—cervical cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, lymphomas, childhood cancers, etc.
- These initiatives resulted in a better understanding of how cancer works, tests for detecting cancer earlier, and improved treatments.
- This “site-specific” approach to addressing cancer problems has served us well.
- While this “site-specific” approach is necessary for success, it is not sufficient to address the nation’s cancer burden; not when many Americans with cancer:
- Are diagnosed with cancers that could have been prevented.
- Are diagnosed with late-stage disease.
- Do not have access to or receive recommended treatment.
- Do not experience optimal quality of life.
- For these reasons a decade ago, state and national organizations began linking cancer prevention and control programs to fight cancer more effectively.
- The result was Comprehensive Cancer Control.
- Definition: Comprehensive Cancer Control is a collaborative process through which a community pools resources to reduce the burden of cancer that results in
- Risk reduction
- Early detection
- Better treatment
- Enhanced survivorship
How did Comprehensive Cancer Control efforts develop in Kentucky?
Kentucky’s venture into Comprehensive Cancer Control began in the summer of 1999, when the Kentucky Department for Public Health contracted with the Kentucky Cancer Program to establish a Cancer Action Plan (CAP) which is the foundation of all KCC efforts. The CAP contains goals and objectives that address cancer issues along the continuum of cancer control: Prevention, Early Detection, Treatment and Care and Quality of Life.
Recognizing Kentucky’s initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected Kentucky as one of six states to utilize the national Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) model/framework in the continuing development of their CAP in the fall of 1999.
The next two years were spent meeting to review plans from other states, compiling cancer data, reconciling the CAP with Healthy People and Healthy Kentucky 2010 objectives and conducting large-scale surveys of cancer control partners. Efforts were aimed at creating a practical working document, reflecting the needs and priorities of regions statewide.
By 2001, the first Cancer Action Plan for Kentucky was completed. The Kentucky Department for Public Health, Kentucky Cancer Program and American Cancer Society immediately began work towards implementing the CAP. In a continued effort to streamline CCC efforts in Kentucky, the Kentucky Cancer Program was designated as the coordinating agent of CCC in May 2002. Later that same year, CDC awarded Kentucky a five-year grant to fund implementation of the CAP. This focused effort on comprehensive cancer control became known in Kentucky as the Kentucky Cancer Consortium (KCC).
At this point, the magnitude of the effort necessitated broadening the reach of the KCC. Core partners (Kentucky Department for Public Health, Kentucky Cancer Program and the American Cancer Society) readily identified 26 state organizations whose efforts fit well with the mission of comprehensive cancer control. Representatives from interested organizations met for the first time in March 2003. At this seminal meeting, the first organizational structure and the KCC logo were approved, Work Groups and Regional Cancer Partnerships were formed, and data was presented to guide the KCC’s next steps.
One important example of collaboration is evident through the revisions made to the CAP by the four Work Groups (Prevention, Early Detection, Treatment and Care, Quality of Life). These revisions represent the KCC’s ongoing efforts to ensure the CAP is a practical working document. After careful analysis by the KCC Evaluation team, revisions were formally approved in May 2005 by the Steering Committee. (The Steering Committee is made up of representatives from cancer prevention and control organizations throughout the state).
In 2004, the KCC identified a gap related to colorectal cancer awareness, submitted an application for supplemental funding from CDC, and was awarded $150,000 to fund state and regional mini-grants that targeted both health care professionals and the general public (who were ages 50+) on the importance of colorectal cancer screening. For a summary of all the colorectal mini-grants click here.
Much more has happened in KCC than has been reflected in this brief overview. To learn more about Kentucky Cancer Consortium Milestones from Fall 2002 – June 2006, please click here.
Why Comprehensive Cancer Control?
Benefits of Collaboration
A united front is more powerful.Working together is more efficient.
- Comprehensive Cancer Control offers the power of collaboration to what otherwise might be a lonely fight. The result is a powerful network of groups that are speaking with one voice about reducing cancer risk, detecting cancers earlier, improving access to quality cancer treatment, and improving quality of life for cancer survivors.
Collective action creates new allies.
- By putting Comprehensive Cancer Control plans into action, coalitions are preventing overlap and directing resources to where they matter most in every state, and in many tribes and U.S. territories.
Coalitions can tackle cross-cutting issues.
- People from all corners of the cancer community are gaining new allies by participating in Comprehensive Cancer Control. This allows them to pool resources, share expertise, and gain new insights into better ways
to get the job done.
- A united front against cancer can tackle major issues—like better access to quality care, survivorship, health disparities, and quality of life—that are too broad and cross-cutting for any one organization to confront alone.
The Kentucky Cancer Consortium has two full-time staff (Program Director and Program Coordinator) and multiple part-time staff who work diligently to support efforts of the Kentucky Cancer Consortium at national, state and local levels.
Stephen W. Wyatt, DMD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Jennifer Redmond, MPH
Program Director
Kentucky Cancer Consortium
2365 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite B100
Lexington, KY 40504
Phone: 859-219-0772 x252
Fax: 859-219-0548
Katie Bathje, MA, LPCC
Program Coordinator
Kentucky Cancer Consortium
2365 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite B100
Lexington, KY 40504
Phone: 859-219-0772 x275
Fax: 859-219-0548
Sharon Keys
Administrative Support
Diane Frasure
Administrative Support
Suzanne Froelich
Communications Coordinator
Bin Huang, MS
Epidemiologist
Jenny Gregory
Web Master
Elizabeth Westbrook, CHES
DFA Conference Co-Coordinator
Angela Champion, MPA
DFA Conference Co-Coordinator
Colon Cancer Prevention Project
Kentucky Cancer Consortium Partners are individuals, or representatives of organizations, whose efforts work towards reducing the cancer burden in Kentucky. Kentucky Cancer Consortium Partners implement Cancer Action Plan strategies at the state and regional level.
Approximately 25 Partners sit on the Kentucky Cancer Consortium (KCC) Steering Committee. The Steering Committee provides leadership to the Consortium by guiding the focus and direction for the planning, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive cancer control efforts in Kentucky.
Ad Hoc Committees form around specific needs and gaps in cancer control that have a state-wide focus. Standing Commimttees provide specialized cross-cutting support in areas of ongoing critical need.
A key component to this structure and value of the KCC is Communication! Communication is important between, among and within groups. KCC Partners, the Steering Committee, Ad Hoc Committees, and Standing Committees are all of equal importance to the work of the KCC. Read KCC's Communication Plan here.
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