WHAT:

The 2003 Deep South Institute will include more than 300 Community Health Advisors (CHAs) from Alabama and Mississippi. The community members have been trained, under a grant from the National Cancer Institute, to be sources of health information and support for their neighbors to help overcome the significant difference in cancer mortality rates between African-Americans and Caucasians.

WHEN:

Thursday, June 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, June 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHO:

Claudia M. Hardy, MPA
Dr. Edward Partridge
Dr. Mona Fouad
UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center

WHERE:

Wynfrey Hotel
Birmingham, AL

BACKGROUND:

The Deep South Network for Cancer Control targets two poor rural areas — the Black Belt of Alabama and the Mississippi Delta, and two urban areas — Jefferson County, Alabama, and Hattiesburg/Laurel, Mississippi. The project is a collaboration between UAB and the University of Southern Mississippi. The program links UAB to underserved communities around the state and South.

The Deep South Network builds upon community infrastructures, state partnerships and coalitions to: (1) provide cancer awareness activities; (2) support minority enrollment in clinical trials; and (3) promote the development of minority junior biomedical researchers.

The Community Health Advisors (CHAs) recruit women who are “natural helpers” to provide cancer awareness messages and resources to their communities. The CHAs may be further trained as research partners to enhance African-American participation in clinical trials.