Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota is hosting the first-ever Cancer Center Community Impact Forum (CCCIF)

The Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota is hosting the first-ever Cancer Center Community Impact Forum (CCCIF)

Community engagement professionals, researchers, and clinicians from cancer centers nationwide, as well as the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Midwest Cancer Alliance leadership will convene in Minneapolis October 9-11, 2019. The conference’s goal is to share best practices to understand and address the cancer burdens of the diverse communities served by these cancer centers.

"We found that there just wasn't a meeting like this for cancer center community engagement professionals," said Kiara Ellis, Masonic Cancer Center's Community Engagement and Education Manager and the mastermind behind CCCIF. "We decided someone needed to step up and create this meeting, so that's exactly what we did. We take great pride in our work here and are excited to share it with our colleagues."

Among the practitioners and noted academics presenting at the inaugural conference are national leaders: Henry P. Ciolino, PhD, Director, NCI Office of Cancer Centers, Robert T. Croyle, PhD, Director of the NCI’s Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences and the Interim Director at the Center for Global Health, and Elizabeth Perruccio, PhD, MS, Program Director of the NCI’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities.

This inaugural conference highlights the importance of community engagement by cancer centers,” noted Douglas Yee, MD, Director of the Masonic Cancer Center. “The exceptional lineup of speakers, including key leaders from the NCI, show how engagement is a national priority.”

This first-of-its-kind meeting combines both the research and operational tactics of different centers to address the disparities in the cancer burden on diverse populations.

About the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota

The Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, is the Twin Cities’ only Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated ‘Outstanding’ by the National Cancer Institute. As Minnesota’s Cancer Center, we have served the entire state for more than 25 years. Our researchers, educators, and care providers have worked to discover the causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer and cancer-related diseases. Learn more at cancer.umn.edu.