My father had a few close calls with death during his life but he amazingly always seemed to come through. As a boy he was very sick with rheumatic fever, a very serious and sometimes fatal disease, but managed to recover.

During college he broke his neck after diving into a quarry, landing him in the hospital for six weeks. While serving in the Marine Corps my father took his shiny red Austin Healy out for a joy ride, when he rolled the convertible several times, miraculously walking away with barely a scratch on him. Shortly after I was married, he had open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve to restore the blood flow between his heart and the rest of his body. After my son was born, he conquered his prostate cancer through radiation treatment.

Carolyn Schmidt with her father.

So when my father was diagnosed with an aggressive stage of colorectal cancer 14 years ago, I was convinced he would overcome that too. In my mind, he was the invincible, ever-strong “Gray Castle” (yes, that really was his name). This amazing man had a tremendous presence wherever he went. He walked with purpose, was a great conversationalist who always looked you straight in the eye, had the firmest hand shake and a gregarious laugh. He had a great presence in any room and made you want to be around him.

Sadly my mother and three siblings quickly discovered my father wasn’t as invincible as we always thought. In February 1999 my father was diagnosed with an advanced stage of colorectal cancer. His symptoms started around Christmas and he died three months later at the age of 67. My family learned the hard way that colorectal cancer can tragically end a life when not detected early.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It is also one of the most preventable, beatable and treatable cancers when diagnosed early. It is estimated that 140,000 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, resulting in approximately 50,000 deaths this year. While those numbers are down, they are still way too high for a disease that can be detected early by knowing risk factors and following screening guidelines.

As we celebrate National Men’s Health Week and pay tribute to all fathers this Sunday, please join the Prevent Cancer Foundation by encouraging fathers, grandfathers, husbands, uncles, brothers and sons to take care of themselves by eating healthy, exercising, not smoking and getting screened.

I also invite you to consider making a gift to the Prevent Cancer Foundation in honor or in memory of the special fathers in your life to support the prevention and early detection of cancer through research, education, advocacy and community outreach.
I miss my father every day but his spirit lives on in my commitment to our mission of saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection. Thank you for being part of our community.

In past years, I have given my mother jewelry, flowers and framed photos, but I believe this year’s gift will be her favorite. This Mother’s Day I am giving my mother a gift that could save lives. I am making a contribution to the Prevent Cancer Foundation in her honor memorializing the loved ones we have lost to cancer. I’m standing with the Prevent Cancer Foundation community to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!

You can also show your mom how much you love and appreciate her by celebrating Mother’s Day with fun and healthy activities you can do together that help reduce cancer risk. Some great ideas she’s sure to love are:

• Plant a garden. Gardening is a great way to bond with your mother and put your muscles to good use! Make the most out of your gardening experience by planting fruits and vegetables with cancer fighting antioxidants.
• Cook a healthy Mother’s Day meal. Give your mom the day off by preparing these delicious and nutritious recipes for either breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert: Breakfast Tacos, Banana-Berry Smoothies, Caramelized Onion Lasagna, or Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust.
• Train for a 5k race/walk. Get the whole family to sign up for an upcoming walk/run event and spend Mother’s day walking or running a trail together. The Prevent Cancer Foundation 5k Walk/Run on Sunday, September 29 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to saving lives at a family friendly gathering!
• Have a heart-to-heart talk about cancer screenings. Let your mom know how much she means to you by talking openly with her about getting life-saving breast, cervical or colorectal cancer screenings. Encourage her to talk to her doctor about the screenings she needs.
• Take a fun fitness class together. Find a group fitness program that you and your mom can both enjoy. There are many different activities available for those of all different fitness levels. Try something like water aerobics, rock climbing, yoga, zumba or crossfit to keep you and your mom fit and feeling good.
• Learn about your mom’s family health history. Mother’s Day is a great time to have a simple conversation about your family’s medical background of cancer and other diseases. To learn how this important step can could save or prolong your life or the lives of your family members, watch our recent webcast: Family Medical History: Why and What You Should Know.

Your mom has taken care of you in so this Mother’s Day make sure she is taking care of herself, by staying active, eating healthy and getting regular cancer screenings. Join me in celebrating mothers for all that they do by making a donation in honor or in memory of your loved one; a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, wife, colleague or friend.

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, is a former fellow of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Braithwaite and her colleagues compared yearly breast cancer screening with screening every two years to see if there were differences in the stage of diagnosis. The results showed that, for women ages 66-74, the risk of having breast cancer detected at a later stage is no greater for women screened every two years than it is for women screened annually.

The study also looked at how screening intervals affected the number of false-positive test results. For women ages 66 – 89, Dr. Braithwaite found that women screened yearly were more likely to have false-positive results than were women screened every two years.

The results of this study may not resolve the ongoing debate about breast cancer screening intervals, but these new findings provide valuable information for older women discussing the impact of screening yearly versus every two years.

Recently, we caught up with Dr. Braithwaite to ask her a few questions about the impact of the Foundation’s fellowship on her career and the importance of funding cancer prevention and early detection research. Here is what she had to say:

How did receiving an earlier Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society of Preventive Oncology fellowship impact your career in breast cancer research?

Receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society of Preventive Oncology fellowship enabled me to develop further expertise in cancer prevention research and epidemiology. I am incredibly grateful to the Prevent Cancer Foundation for helping to launch my career in breast cancer research.

Why is it important to fund research in prevention and early detection?

Cancer, especially breast cancer, is a common disease and one of the leading causes of death around the globe. Through prevention and early detection, our goal is to reduce the disease burden and improve life expectancy.

Learn more about the innovative research being funded by the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Recognizing this unexpected “Catch – 22” situation, U.S. Representative Charlie Dent (R-PA) has introduced the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2013 (HR 1070) as a resolution to this problem.  This legislation would ensure that 100 percent of the costs of cancer screening are covered under Medicare Part B, and that older Americans are not subject to unexpected cost sharing provisions if polyps are removed during a colonoscopy.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation supports this legislation and applauds Rep. Dent and the original co-sponsors of the bill: Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ).

Colorectal cancer is highly preventable, yet this year, 142,820 Americans will be diagnosed and more than 50,000 will die from the disease. Beginning at age 50, men and women should be screened regularly as the risk of colorectal cancer can increase with age. We must encourage and enable people to follow colorectal screening guidelines. For older Americans, many of whom are on fixed incomes, HR 1070 would remove a tremendous barrier for screening in a population that is most vulnerable to colorectal cancer.

For more information on our legislative activities and how to be an advocate for preventable cancers, please visit our Advocacy Action Center.

Knowing your family health history can help you determine your family’s health risk and make preventive choices.

According to a health survey, only 1 in 3 adults say they have attempted to collect and record their family medical history. It’s important to your overall health, including cancer prevention, to know about your family’s health history. Knowing where to begin, understanding the importance of it and feeling comfortable with starting that conversation with your family are some of the challenges and questions we may face. To help guide us through this process the Prevent Cancer Foundation, in partnership with the National Broadcaster’s Association (NAB) and the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program, will hold the organization’s first webcast: “Family Medical History: Why and What You Should Know.”

The panel will be moderated by Dave Dubin, a three time cancer survivor and advocate for cancer screening and genetic testing. Panel members will consist of a diverse group of leading experts and advocates:

Anna Maria Izquierdo, Primary Care Physician and Executive Director of Care for Your Health

Beth N. Peshkin, MS, GCG, Associate Professor of Oncology and Senior Genetic Counselor at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center

Allyn Rose, Miss D.C., family medical history and cancer prevention advocate

The panel will cover a range of topics including:

• The importance of knowing one’s medical history
• How your family medical history can help reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases
• Strategies for learning about your medical history from family members
• Genetic testing and genetic counseling

Before and during the panel discussion, audience members are encouraged to tweet (@preventcancer) questions for the panelists to answer.

The free webcast will be streamed live online from the NAB’s offices and we hope you will be able to join us on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 2 pm Eastern. We hope you will “tune in” for this lively, informative and life-saving discussion!

Keynote speaker John Polanowicz, Massachusetts HHS Secretary, talks with Michael McCalla, MSHA, at a break.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Dialogue for Action on Cancer Screening: Hitting the Targets took place in Baltimore on March 20 – 22, 2013. Over 200 attendees from diverse health professions came from 35 states and the District of Columbia, six tribes and Urban Indian Health Organizations and Japan to be part of this lively and dynamic interactive conference on access, quality and cost of health care.

Since the conference, we’ve heard many positive comments from attendees by email and phone and in our online survey (with about a 50% response rate).

Here are some of the comments shared by attendees:

“This is always my favorite conference to attend all year and wish others emulated it in both style and substance. Even the small details of food choices matching the mantra of healthier choices and behaviors is emphasized.”

“It was well worth the investment of time and money!”

“The speakers were experts in their fields—thank you. All levels of the diverse audience benefited from the information. The conference certainly inspired innovative thought and debate. This is what generates great healthcare quality!”

From left: moderator Cliff Goodman, PhD, & Seiji Hayashi, MD, MPH, Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA, & Joe Lipscomb, PhD, discuss access, quality & cost of health care.

Here are the top three reasons for coming to the Dialogue:

1. Informative Presentations: “Information on current trends, innovations and updates on cancer screening” was key to over 80% of attendees.
2. Networking Opportunities: “Networking” was named by over 64%; some also noted that speakers were very accessible. One attendee wrote, “It was a wonderful networking opportunity. I am coming away with some good tools to implement in our prevention program.”
3. Expert Speakers: “Speakers on the agenda” was named as a draw by over 50%. One attendee commented that “the outstanding panels provided a wealth of information which proved useful in understanding the current changes which affect my job.”

Attendees plan to ‘keep the Dialogue going’ with actions on cancer screening that they plan to take after the Dialogue:

From left: Lillie Shockley, RN, MAS, & Jennifer Smith, PhD, MPH, share perspectives in a small-group discussion.

• Over half plan to implement change in their workplaces or communities
• Over 60% plan to contact colleagues they met at the Dialogue to discuss or collaborate on cancer screening activities

Check out the two-page overview of the 2013 Dialogue.

Since 1999, the focus of the Dialogue has been on colorectal cancer screening. This year, the Dialogue expanded to include mandated guidelines-driven screenings for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, as well as screenings for skin, prostate and lung cancers. Continuing education credit is available for physicians, nursing professionals and certified health education specialists.

If you’re a professional working in cancer screening, put this on your calendar: March 20 – 21, 2014 (with March 19 as pre-conference day), and join us at the Dialogue next year! Send your ideas and suggestions for 2014 session topics and speakers to me at Karen.Peterson@preventcancer.org.

Join members of the Prevent Cancer community by calling 1-866-615-3375 and asking your Member of Congress to support legislation that will eliminate co-payments for screening colonoscopies when polyps are found. This legislation, HR 1070, was introduced last week by Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), along with Reps. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), and is called the “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act.” Passage of this legislation is essential, to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who have screening colonoscopies, which are fully covered by Medicare, are not subject to unexpected costs. Members of Congress want to hear from you, to let them know that this bill is important to you and your loved ones.

When you call 1-866-615-3375 you will be given very specific instructions on the phone about what to do. Help us build support for this legislation, and other important bills, by participating in this event and by joining our Advocacy Action Center.

We hope that you will be part of this effort and make your voices heard.

What led you to the field of health communication and behavioral research?

My PhD is in social psychology, and I was doing a great deal of research on self-judgment, social comparison and optimism in the early part of my career which led me to think about how people judge risk and, by extension, how we can effectively communicate risk in ways that influence their health behavior in an adaptive way.

Tell us about your research on whether loss-framed messages will encourage more colorectal cancer screening, particularly in people who reflect on their future feelings. Did this effect occur because of their perceptions of vulnerability?

There was much work in previous research showing that loss-framed messages (e.g. if you don’t get screened you could have cancer and not know it) were more effective than gain-framed messages (e.g. if you get screened, you can reassure yourself that you don’t have cancer) in promoting screening. The reason is that people view screening as risky (because they could get bad news), and research in decision-making and behavioral economics shows that people are more likely to take risks when faced with a possible loss than with a possible gain. However, little work has been done on whether the emotions that people are experiencing at the time they get a message influence whether the message frame (loss vs. gain) makes a difference. So we decided to put people in an emotional state and then test how loss-framed or gain-framed messages affected them. We were pleased to find out that the gain-framed message was as effective as the loss-framed message at encouraging screening when people are in a positive emotional state, as caused by asking them to imagine the relief they would experience upon being told their test was negative. Without this “emotional booster,” however, the loss-framed message was more effective as has been shown in previous research.

How did receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation grant impact your research?

I benefited a great deal from the opportunity to complete this project because it jump-started several other projects on how emotional experiences might have an impact on the effect of health communications on people’s risk perceptions and behavior. This study and others also showed me the value of supporting more-nuanced work in health communication, which I am now doing in my current position as Associate Director of the Behavioral Research Program at the National Cancer Institute.

Why is it important to fund research like this in cancer prevention and early detection?

It is important because many assumptions we make about communicating health risks are misguided. People’s goals, motivations and emotions are important factors in how they respond to health communications, so failing to recognize their influence may lead to failures to change behavior and may sometimes promote even riskier behavior. Funded research on effective strategies is essential.

The purpose of the National Challenge is to champion “grass-roots” community projects in colorectal cancer screening and awareness and to engage participating organizations in an online community supportive of colorectal cancer screening efforts across the country. Past projects have included a dodge ball tournament, community health fairs and races to raise awareness of colorectal cancer prevention and early detection.

Applications are due March 5, 2013 and community engagement activity must be completed by March 29, 2013. For more information on project requirements, including eligibility and selection, view the Guidelines and Application.

Bring the Prevent Cancer Super Colon exhibit to your community by entering the 2013 National Challenge

• FREE colorectal cancer resources for ALL applicants.
• ALL individuals who VOTE will receive a “Preventable, Treatable, Beatable” Buddy Bracelet and a Blue Star pin.

The FIRST Prize Winner receives a $3,000 grant to support the winner’s community screening or awareness project, a Prevent Cancer Super Colon™ exhibit stop in the winner’s community ($10,000 value), a feature on the Prevent Cancer blog, an article in the Cancer PreventionWorks newsletter and acknowledgement on the Screening Saves Lives website. The Guidelines cover all prize information, including second-place ($1,500 grant) and third-place ($500 grant) prizes.

The Screening Saves Lives website – www.screeningsaves.org – is the home base for the competition where individuals can join Our Community, learn more about colorectal cancer, post stories and vote for the 2013 challenge entries.

Send questions to Erica Childs Warner, Director, Outreach and Evaluation, at echilds@preventcancer.org.

Tim Byers, MD, MPH, an expert in cancer prevention research from the University of Colorado School of Public Health, will moderate a lively and thoughtful discussion among four thought leaders on cancer screening who know this issue broadly and deeply from diverse perspectives. We are fortunate to have these panelists:

• David F. Yankelevitz, MD, is professor of radiology at The Mt Sinai Hospital, an expert in the diagnosis of early lung cancer and an initiator of the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP) which enrolled more than 50,000 people in 8 countries.
• Stephen Taplin, MD, MPH, Branch Chief of the Process of Care Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute, is an expert in the field of cancer screening, having built his research career around problems he saw in day-to-day practice as a primary care physician and as head of a breast cancer screening program.
• Robert A. Smith, PhD, is an epidemiologist and Director of Cancer Screening at the National Office of the American Cancer Society and has been involved in the development of numerous cancer screening guidelines.
• Quyen Ngo-Metzger, MD, MPH, recently appointed as the Scientific Director for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, serves as the main government lead to provide guidance to the USPSTF and interacts with the public and other agencies regarding the work of the Task Force.

Attendees will have the opportunity to join this discussion and others at the 2013 Dialogue conference which will be held March 21 and 22, with pre-conference sessions on March 20.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s annual Dialogue is attended by the diversity of healthcare professionals involved in early detection of cancer, and it provides concrete tools and effective strategies for use in both clinical and public health settings. Since 1999, the screening focus of the Dialogue has been on colorectal cancer. New this year, the 2013 Dialogue is expanding to include breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, as well as skin, prostate and lung cancers. Continuing education credit is available for physicians, nursing professionals and certified health education specialists.

Register now for the 2013 Dialogue.