November 4, 2009
Welcome and Introduction of Attendees
- All attendees were asked to give their name and the agency they represent.
Review of August 5, 2009 Meeting Minutes
- There was a motion by Barbara Ferrera to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. It was seconded by Ben Mount.
Coalition Announcements
- Happy 5th Birthday to the Atlantic County Healthy Living Coalition! You are invited to celebrate this birthday with us at the IMAX Theatre at the Tropicana in Atlantic City on November 18, 2009 at 9:00 am. Activities will include: Highlights of the Coalition, Coalition Awards, Colorectal Cancer Education and the feature presentation of Disney’s “A Christmas Carol in 3D” with Jim Carrey, so call today to reserve your place! Please take some flyers with you and invite those in the community as you go out and about. If everyone in the Coalition will bring at least one person to this event it will be a success!
- The “Hands of Hope Project” by the Tobacco Education Committee in a joint effort with Camden County would like to ask for your support and help by making a hand cut-out today. Please see the hand samples passed around. You may also take this project to any appropriate events with you, please see Angela for details and supplies after the meeting.
Committee Activities
Members are encouraged to participate in a committee. The committees are where the activities are planned and organized.
- Community Education Committee – Chairperson: Joanne Kinsey
- Responsible for community education and specifically one cancer event each year.
- The Breast Cancer Survivor’s Fashion Show will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center located in Egg Harbor Twp. Teresa Berry from NBC 40 will host again this year. Marketing for the event will start in January. We are looking for a guest speaker for the show, if you have any recommendations please contact Angela Bailey at abailey@shorememorial.org
- Teen School Health Fair Project “Road to Good Health” will be presented to the Superintendent Round Table on December 4, 2009.
- Next Meeting: November 10, 2009 at 10am at SMH-Cancer Center.
- Healthy Lifestyle Committee – Chairperson: Ben Mount
- Responsible for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle to the public in response to the NJ-CCCP and CHIP/MAPP.
- The “Fun Steps to Fitness” event was held on August, 14, 2009 from 5:30-8:00pm on the Atlantic County Bike Path at the Shore Mall in Egg Harbor Twp. This event featured a one mile walk, activity stations, fitness fair, food demonstrations by Chef Mike, refreshments, healthy box lunches, prizes and give-a-ways. Participants were given “passports” (one for adults and one for kids) and as they went thru the various activities, their passports were stamped. On the back of the adult passport was an evaluation which counted as an activity. The passports were collected at the end and used for the prize drawings. There were 65 people consisting of 19 families that participated, 88% of the people who attended stated they would increase or start exercising as a result of the event. Out of the 12% that stated they would not increase their activity several were already exercising 5 or more times a week. Photos taken at this event were shown to the Coalition.
- Next Meeting: TBD
- Palliative Care Committee – Chairperson: Open
- This committee is responsible for addressing palliative care issues in Atlantic County and to educate professionals and the public regarding palliative care.
- This committee wants to continue with the workshops at 55+ locations and workplaces. They are currently looking for locations to have these workshops and tweaking the presentation.
- Next Meeting: November 17, 2009 at 9:30am at Holy Redeemer in Egg Harbor Twp.
- Professional Education Committee – Chairperson: Dee McNeely-Greene
- Responsible for one local professional event each year.
- This committee is working on a traveling “Lunch and Learn” program. They will offer one series in Spring 2010. There would be two sessions offered at each hospital location during lunch time with the focus on nurses. They will offer this program at three hospitals and one community location which will be at Gilda’s Club. The topic will be HPV and the link to cancer.
- Next Meeting: November 9, 2009 at 9am at Holy Redeemer in Egg Harbor Twp.
- Tobacco Education Committee – Chairpersons: Linda Duca & Bob Schall
- The committee is responsible for projects that educate the public on the dangers of smoking.
- The committee is currently working on the “Hands of Hope for a Tobacco Free World” project. Their goal is to collect 1000 hands, they have collected 88 so far. Whenever the Coalition goes out to an event we will be taking the hand project. Angela brought examples of the hand cut-outs and encouraged everyone to make a hand today and to take this project with you to appropriate events. The hands will be collected, linked together and displayed. This will make a clear statement from young to old that we need continued funding for tobacco related services.
- Next Meeting: November 4, 2009 at 11:15am at Shore Memorial Cancer Center
Updates:
- Barbershop Initiative
- Funding for the Barbershop Initiative was continued for the 2009/2010 grant year. This program covers 11 counties from Somerset to Cape May, 406 people were educated during the first quarter (July, August, Sept.) through “Talk and Trim” sessions, 23 were barbers. “Talk and Trims” will be expanding to include the actual screening at the time of their hair cut and education. Upcoming screenings are scheduled for Somerset, Camden and Monmouth counties. Screenings for Atlantic, Cumberland, Burlington and Mercer are pending.
- CEED Update
- Marge Scanny reported the NJCEED Grant program was funded for another year which started on 7/1/09. Our first quarter reports were submitted and we are on track with our numbers.
- We are looking for locations to offer the “Friend to Friend” party. The purpose of a Friend to Friend party is to educate women about breast cancer, show them how to do self breast exams and encourage them to get their routine mammograms. This is done in a small group intimate setting. Our focus is on the underserved but this is not a requirement. Let her know if you have a location that is appropriate.
- Marge discussed the Prostate CEED screening guidelines, they are as follows: Both Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and Digital Rectal Exams (DRE) should be offered annually, beginning at age 50 to men who have at least a 10 year life expectancy. Men at high risk such as African-American and men with a strong family history being one or more first degree relatives like father or brothers diagnosed before age 65 should begin testing at age 45. Men at even higher risk, due to multiple first-degree relatives affected at an early age, could begin testing at age 40. Depending on the results of this initial test, no further testing might be needed until age 45.
- Pleasantville Cancer Initiative
- The American Cancer Society initiative to address and eliminate the burden of cancer in a specific urban city chose Pleasantville, NJ. The Pleasantville data suggested that the African American and Hispanic communities bear a disproportionate burden of poor health due to a wide range of complex issues involving poverty, little or no insurance and barriers to low literacy, language and cultural beliefs. The purpose of the initiative is to eliminate the burden of cancer for people living and working in Pleasantville by focusing on education and screenings. The ACS spearheaded this effort and will provide guidance and support but this effort will be lead by “The Leadership Council” a group of community and corporate leaders who volunteer their time, energy, network and resources.
- Advocacy Update
- Marge Scanny reports that the ACS does not support the current health care reform bills because they do not meet the affordability test as explained in the “American Cancer Society Statement of Principles on What Constitutes Meaningful Health Insurance”. The ACS produced this evidence based definition that focuses on the four “A’s” – Adequacy, Availability, Affordability and Administrative simplicity and they are looking for these issues to be addressed. Marge encourages everyone to get involved so visit the ACS website at www.acscan.org select your state and contact the congressmen in your district. Stay tuned for future health care reform developments.
- OCCP Update
- The “Choose Your Cover” Free Skin Cancer Screening – Shore to Shore project was held on Saturday, July 25, 2009 statewide in Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean and Monmouth Counties. Statewide results were as follows: 1,376 screened, 508 were recommended to get follow up and 54 were suspected melanoma cases. Next year this event will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2010 throughout the state at community pools.
- The Fall 2009 newsletter IMPACT will be sent out very soon if you would like to receive a copy by e-mail please let Susan know at susan.sanna@doh.state.nj.us.
- See the attached “State Update” for additional information.
- New Jersey Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan
- A copy of the Executive Summary was given to the Coalition for review. Additional copies, as well as the entire plan can be found at the NJ-CCCP website: www.njcancer.gov.
Open Discussion
- The “Fuzzy Friend” event will be held on December 11, 2009 at “Build a Bear” in the Hamilton Mall from 4 to 8 pm. This will be REBEL’s 7th year in giving a bear to a family touched by cancer in our community over the Holiday season. You can donate your time and money to make a bear or donate money for someone else to make a bear to donate. They gave out 125 bears last year. REBEL is a group of teens dedicated to educating peers, middle and elementary school children and other members of the community about the dangers of tobacco use. The “Fuzzy Friend” event will be held on December 11, 2009 at “Build a Bear” in the Hamilton Mall from 4 to 8 pm.This will be REBEL’s 7 year in giving a bear to a family touched by cancer in our community over the Holiday season. You can donate your time and money to make a bear or donate money for someone else to make a bear to donate. They gave out 125 bears last year. REBEL is a group of teens dedicated to educating peers, middle and elementary school children and other members of the community about the dangers of tobacco use.
- Senior Helpers –Caring In-Home Companions. They specialize in providing professional personal care and companion care to seniors who desire to maintain their independence at home. Some of the services offered are meal preparation and cleanup, errand transportation, light housekeeping, exercise, help with paperwork and more. They have partnered with Veterans Express, a leading advocate organization who specializes in helping Veterans and their families navigate thru the complex application process. Veterans Day is November 11th, if you know of a veteran in need of assistance please have them contact Senior Helpers at 505 Bay Ave. #201, Somers Point, NJ, 609-927-5001.
Future Quarterly Coalition Meetings
- February 10, 2010
- May 5, 2010
- August 11, 2010
- November 10, 2010
- Shore Memorial Hospital Cancer Center Conference Room at 10am
Participants in Attendance
Angela Bailey - Shore Memorial Hospital – ACHLC
Ben Mount - Atlantic County Division of Public Health
Marge Scanny - Shore Memorial Hospital – Cancer Center
Bonnie Shrader - Shore Memorial Hospital - CEED
Stephanie Bordonaro - Shore Memorial Hospital – Quit Center
Bob Schall - Atlantic Prevention Resources
Barbara Ferrera - Gilda’s Club South Jersey
Linda Duca - Atlantic County Division of Public Health
Todd Salerno - American Cancer Society
Lynn Piccoli - Holy Redeemer Hospice
Tara Pietrowitz - Heartland Hospice
Terry Hagan - Senior Helpers
Kim Burns - Atlantic Prevention Resources
Jennifer Stroby - Sunrise
Cherie Anas - Southern Jersey Family Medical Center
Rhonda Fitzgerald - Atlantic City Health Department
Dan Mikus - Shore Memorial Hospital-Coordinated Care
Susan Sanna - NJDHSS/OCCP