Group of students eating lunch together at event

About the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement

The Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) partners with communities, researchers, healthcare providers, and organizations across Minnesota to reduce the burden of cancer through trusted partnerships, education, screening, survivorship support, and community-informed research.

Our aims

Who we work with

We partner with people and organizations across Minnesota to reduce the burden of cancer through community-informed outreach, education, screening, survivorship support, and research.

We also support researchers through community engaged research partnerships and consultation.

Three women smiling for a photo with an gradient overlay reading "community members"
Two women standing behind a table display, smiling for a photo with a gradient overlay reading "community organizations.

 

A woman getting a butterfly painted on her face with a gradient overlay reading, "patients and survivors"
Dr. Anne Blaes talking to a patient with a gradient overlay reading, "healthcare providers"
Two women smiling while the one on the left flexes her left arm. There is a gradient overlay reading, "caregivers and families"
A woman engaging with event attendees behind a table display. There is a gradient overlay reading, "public health partners"

Understanding Minnesota's cancer needs

Everything we do begins with understanding the communities we serve. We use cancer data, community partnerships, and local experiences to identify where cancer burden is greatest and where outreach, education, screening, and research can have the greatest impact.

Why this matters

As the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the Twin Cities, the Masonic Cancer Center is responsible for understanding the cancer burden across our statewide catchment area: the geographic region we serve. This information helps guide our priorities and ensures our work reflects the needs of communities across Minnesota.

Minnesota’s cancer priorities

Cancer affects communities across Minnesota in different ways. That's why COE's work begins by listening to communities and understanding where the cancer burden is greatest.

By combining community perspectives with statewide cancer data, we identify priorities that guide our outreach, education, screening, research support, and partnerships.

Explore the resources below to learn more about the cancer trends, community needs, and the data that help shape our priorities across Minnesota.

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