Kansas Group Seeks to Reduce Cancer Rate

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A new initiative in Kansas seeks to lower the state's cancer rate through preventive actions. <br/><br/>The Kansas Cancer Partnership is a coalition that includes public health

Tuesday, May 31st 2005, 10:35 am

By: News On 6

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A new initiative in Kansas seeks to lower the state's cancer rate through preventive actions.

The Kansas Cancer Partnership is a coalition that includes public health officials, hospitals, nonprofit organizations and others. It will unveil its Comprehensive Cancer Control and Prevention Plan at public meetings throughout the state this summer, beginning in Salina on June 6.

``We're in an era now in public health where no one agency can do it all,'' said Howard Rodenberg, director of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's health division. ``We really are looking forward to this being a collaborative effort.''

Those involved in the partnership worked to develop the plan for about 18 months, said Pati O'Hara, KDHE's cancer program manager. They came up with a list of numerous goals they hope to accomplish by the end of 2010.

They include development of a Web site that includes information on clinical trials and treatment centers, working for insurance coverage of clinical trial participation and pushing smoke-free policies and increased taxes on tobacco.

The partnership also plans to lobby the Legislature to require insurance companies to pay for colorectal cancer screening, to push schools to adopt healthier vending machine food policies and to get radon mitigation policies in new construction.

O'Hara said the partnership _ which includes cancer survivors as well as a variety of groups _ has applied for grant money from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

``Everyone knows someone who has been touched by cancer,'' O'Hara said. ``Cancer is more and more not only a preventable disease but also a survivable disease.''

Nearly 12,000 Kansans are diagnosed with cancer each year; 5,000 of them die. Cancer is the state's second-leading cause of death, behind heart disease.