Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity (OCECHE)

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Kunle Odunsi, MD, director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

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The Comprehensive Cancer Center established the Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity (OCECHE) in 2010 as part of a renewed and expanded commitment to serve local communities through research, education and outreach programs.

Mission: The mission of the OCECHE is to serve as a bridge between the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center and academic and community stakeholders to promote equitable collaboration and eliminate cancer disparities through community capacity building, participatory research, advocacy and innovative education and training.

Vision: We seek to work with key stakeholders and community members who are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of their local communities with regards to cancer prevention and risk reduction, access to quality cancer care, promoting community centered collaborative research and supporting those at risk or living with a cancer diagnosis.

The OCECHE, under the direction of Karen Kim, MD, has formed strategic alliances with UChicago units and other healthcare organizations, as well as community, ethnic, and faith-based groups to create innovative programs that will increase access to care, reduce risk factors for cancer, reduce tobacco use, increase participation in cancer research and improve the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors.

Dr. Kim was joined by Nita Lee, MD, in 2015 as Faculty Director to help continue the expansion of community outreach and efforts.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center has a global presence, attracting cancer patients from around the world; however, our most important commitment is to the people of the Chicago metropolitan area and, particularly, the residents of surrounding neighborhoods including Bronzeville, Grand Boulevard, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Washington Park and Woodlawn. Maintaining a vibrant, two-way conversation with our South Side neighbors helps Comprehensive Cancer Center members better understand and meet patient needs.

Our Team

Members

Karen E Kim, MD, MS
Professor of Medicine
Dean for Faculty Affairs
Director, Center for Asian Health Equity
Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement

Nita Karnik Lee, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Section of Gynecologic Oncology
Faculty Director for Community Outreach and Engagement

Gina Curry, MPH, MBA
Director, Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity

Alia Poulos, MA, MPP
Education Outreach Specialist, Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity

Helen Lam, PhD, RN
Lead Community Health Educator, Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity

Programs

The OCECHE has developed programming through robust partner engagement and capacity building, advocacy, education, and research activities in Chicago’s black, Asian and Latinx communities.

Signature OCECHE programs and examples of collaborative community work include:

NCI National Outreach Network Community Health Educators

OCECHE staff lead efforts in the local African-American and Asian communities to disseminate NCI culturally-tailored education materials promoting cancer screening and early detection, clinical trial and biobanking participation. The Community Health Educators (CHEs) develop and foster meaningful collaborative relationships with many community- and faith-based organizations which can positively impact vulnerable community members.

OCECHE is an active participant in the National Cancer Institute’s Screen to Save program. Through Screen to Save, community health educators funded by the NCI’s National Outreach Network (NON) provide culturally-tailored, evidence-based education and resources on colorectal cancer screening, HPV vaccination, and clinical trials participation within racially and ethnically diverse and rural communities nationwide.

Community Cancer Education

OCECHE brings cancer expertise to the community through culturally-tailored, evidence-based community cancer education sessions. Our topics are wide-ranging and we can accommodate small and large groups virtually, onsite at community locations or at the UChicago Hyde Park campus. Our community cancer education session offerings include:

COVID-19 and Cancer Care
Cancer and Nutrition
Cancer Survivorship and Support
Breast Cancer Screening
Cervical Cancer Screening and Early Detection
Tobacco Cessation

Are you interested in a topic related to cancer prevention, care or survivorship that’s not listed above? We may be able to tailor a cancer education session to meet the unique needs of your group; please contact us to coordinate.

Community Health Worker Training

We know that community health workers are trusted patient providers and advocates within the communities they serve and play an integral role in public health. We work with local community-based organizations and colleges to train community health workers on cancer-focused topics so that they can expand their reach within their communities, providing quality care and patient navigation. We are responsive to the needs of our community partners and can design community health worker trainings on a variety of topics related to cancer prevention, screening, treatment, patient care, and survivorship.

HealthyU

HealthyU is an employee engagement initiative to educate University of Chicago Medicine employees about cancer and provide streamlined access to cancer screenings. Our HealthyU initiative has provided cancer education and screening opportunities to hundreds of UChicago Medicine employees, as well as other departments across the university.

Community/Researcher Partnership

We work with community stakeholders and cancer investigators at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center to broker relationships and allow for community integration into cancer research. We schedule consultations for cancer investigators looking to expand their community engagement efforts within their research programs as well as community stakeholders looking to become more involved in cancer-focused research projects.

Community-Academic Partnership Pilot Grants

Our Community-Academic Partnership Pilot Grant program was developed to connect community-based organizations with University of Chicago cancer investigators to allow for equitable collaboration on a cancer research project. The seed grant provides funding and partnership with a UC cancer researcher to participate in a community-driven cancer research experience. Click here for the RFA.

Chinese Cancer Survivor Group

The only bilingual formalized cancer survivorship support group for Chinese-speaking cancer survivors and caregivers, meeting the needs of this vulnerable immigrant community with a known high burden of gastrointestinal and lung cancer.

For more information, contact Helen Lam at hvallina@bsd.uchicago.edu.

Illinois Precision Medicine Consortium/All of Us Research Program

The OCECHE team members continue to play an important role in education and recruitment within diverse communities about the importance of participation and representation in the national All of Us research program. Please visit the Illinois Precision Medicine Consortium website for additional information.

Cancer Policy Advocacy

Members of the OCECHE team are involved with cancer policy advocacy in partnership with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Chicago Department of Public Health, and the Illinois Department of Public Health. OCECHE supports legislative initiatives at the local, state, and federal level that advance cancer research, reduce cancer disparities, and provide equitable access to cancer prevention information and screening resources. Our office works with local organizations to educate the community on cancer policy and provide avenues for inclusive advocacy work.

Partnerships

The Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity (OCECHE) fosters strategic alliances with healthcare groups, as well as community, ethnic, and faith-based organizations, to increase cancer knowledge in the community and engage participation in research and clinical trials. These organizations can be important social anchors in many communities, offering unique opportunities to reach underserved populations.

Listed below is a sampling of the strategic partnerships that the OCECHE maintains: