Raising cancer awareness through community connections
The University of Arizona Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement team hosted an informational booth at A Better Community’s Merchant and Mission-Focused Marketplace on Feb. 5, in the Dunbar Pavilion.
The marketplace, hosted by ABC co-founder, advocate and speaker, Trehon Coleman, is part of the organization’s “Connections that Count” program. All were welcome, and more than 500 attendees made their way through the venue visiting, networking, and supporting over 30 local African American-owned businesses, creatives and organizations.
The venue being held at the Dunbar Pavilion was significant due to the history of the building in Tucson. In 1912, this location was the site of the city’s first and only segregated schools for African American children and was a focal point for a multitude of community activities. In recent years, the Dunbar Pavilion has undergone a series of renovations. Today, their mission is to honor the past, celebrate today and shape the future of the African American community.
Namoonga Mantina, MPSH, MBA, community outreach manager, said the historical significance of the location added to the electric, yet family-oriented environment of the marketplace.
“I think what Trehon does with the mission and marketplace event through ABC is an incredible way of galvanizing, uniting and bringing the community together,” said Mantina. “We just wanted to attend to let people know that we are here, and we are a resource for them.”
Connections that Count was created in May 2023 with the goal of bringing residents together to build a vibrant and supportive community. The monthly program began with 30 attendees, and steadily increased as the word spread. They have hosted events like community mixers, back to school bashes, game nights, and various holiday celebrations.
While visitors enjoyed free food and a fun atmosphere, the COE team and Coleman stressed the importance of providing essential health education.
“I’ve seen cancer effect a lot of different people, and I’ve heard from people closer to it that some of it is preventable.” said Coleman. “Our goal is to partner with the UACC for screening and other prevention methods, but the marketplace offered an initial opportunity to get the information out to the community.”
Mantina detailed the educational materials and focal point behind COE staffing their booth.
“As far as prevention and education, we focused on some of the cancer disparities that we see when it comes to cancer outcomes,” said Mantina. “Particularly for prostate cancer, we see huge differences in cancer outcomes amongst the African American community. Same thing with cervical cancer. Among females, breast cancer is also a prevailing issue. So we try to provide specific educational information related to some of the cancer outcomes that we're seeing related to the African American community.”
Mantina said one of the most popular items at the COE booth were cancer screening magnets. Attendees were given magnets with the recommended guidelines about when to get screened for various cancers. She said this is a great way to introduce what can otherwise be a difficult conversation to have and increase the likelihood of individuals getting screened.
Coleman continuously highlighted the significance of coming together to ensure all residents are informed and supported by what each other brings to the table. He added that he is looking forward to continuing to work with the COE team to increase cancer prevention and education in the community.
“I think it’s important for us to be in ‘non-traditional spaces’ having conversations about cancer,” said Mantina. “The cancer conversation shouldn't only happen when one is in the hospital. The cancer conversation shouldn't only happen when it's something health related. No, we were at a merchant and marketplace event that was a business focused event. We aren't necessarily a business, but still to have presence and understand even for the longevity of business owners and customers, your health and wellness is still important, and we are here as the cancer center to support you in that effort.”
Engaging with community leaders like ABC through a shared determination to discover, innovate, and improve health equity, aids in the UACC objective to alleviate the burden of cancer in Arizona, particularly in underserved populations.
For more information about cancer screening guidelines and other community resources, visit https://cancercenter.arizona.edu/community/education.