Take Action

The Missouri Cancer Plan identifies broad goals to reduce the burden of cancer. To accomplish these goals, everyone needs to be involved. What can you do?

Hospitals

• Assure that your cancer cases are reported in a timely manner
• Provide meeting space for cancer support groups
• Collaborate to sponsor community screening and education programs
• Maintain American College of Surgeons membership

Local Public Health Departments

• Provide cancer awareness information and data to citizens and groups
• Collaborate in community-based coalitions
• Work with physicians to promote screening programs & case reporting
• Provide space for community survivor support groups
• Assess community needs and implement policy and environtmental changes to reduce cancer risks
• Assure access to care for uninsured and under-insured

Community-based Organizations

• Provide cancer awareness information to constituents
• Promote cancer screening among clients
• Encourage participation in clinical trials
• Collaborate to provide community prevention programs

Professional Organizations

• Provide continuing education credits on cancer topics
• Include clinical trials information in meeting agendas
• Form speaker's bureaus to provide cancer education
• Train faciliatators for survivor support groups

Employers

• Establish a smokefree work place policy
• Provide healthy foods in vending machines and cafeterias
• Encourage employees to increase physical activity
• Collaborate with hospitals to host screening events
• Provide health insurance coverage

Schools or Universities

• Include cancer prevention messages in health classes
• Provide healthy foods in vending machines and cafeterias
• Increase physical education requirements
• Make your entire campus a smokefree environment

Faith-based Organizations

• Provide cancer prevention information to members
• Collaborate with other community-based groups
• Learn how to provide healthy pot-lucks and meeting meals
• Open your building for walking clubs in cold weather
• Encourage members to get timely cancer screenings

Physicians

• Make sure patients get appropriate cancer screening tests
• Refer patients to smoking cessations classes & nutrition programs
• Be sure your cancer cases are reported in a timely manner
• Find out how to enroll patients in clinical trials
• Make earlier referrals to hospice for end of life care

Missourians

• Avoid all tobacco and secondhand smoke
• Eat a nutritious and balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight
• Increase your daily physical activity
• Know when to be screened and obtain screenings on schedule
• Support a smokefree environment
• If diagnosed, consider enrolling in a clinical trial
• Show your support and care for those diagnosed
• Volunteer with your hospital, health department, faith community or local groups who support cancer control efforts