Understanding Cancer
About
Ready to organize a workshop?
Contact UsUnderstanding Cancer is an informative and empowering educational curriculum focused on informing community members of the cancer disease. The curriculum was designed from reliable and evidence-based sources to introduce cancer through an equitable and inclusive lens by addressing the disease’s topics. All of the materials incorporate health literacy principles to build knowledge and improve health-related decision-making while providing the tools and resources necessary to recognize what you can do to lower the risk of cancer. By sharing this knowledge, we can help our communities better understand cancer and how to prevent it.
Ready to organize a workshop?
Contact UsGoals & Objectives
The curriculum’s goal is to inform, empower, and engage patients, cancer survivors, caregivers, and friends or family members on topics relating to cancer. After completing this cancer education training, participants will be able to:
- discuss ways to reduce cancer risk
- know recommended cancer screening exams and screening guidelines
- identify where to access both local and national resources to learn more
History
The Cancer 101: A Cancer Education and Training Program for American Indian and Alaska Natives was the original inspiration for developing a community-based cancer curriculum. Due to the success of Cancer 101, members from the Appalachia Community Cancer Network’s (ACCN) created a curriculum called Understanding Cancer Guidebook and Study Sheets that was funded by the National Cancer Institute and focused on populations in the Appalachian region. The Understanding Cancer 2nd Edition curriculum includes extended and updated content as well as new activities and resources for all to reference.
Understanding Cancer Overview
UC Overview video by Brenna Robinson
Frequently Asked Questions
- Explaining how cancer develops in a person’s body
- Identifying cancer risk factors and prevention
- Cancer screening recommendations
- Cancer diagnosis and treatment options
- Supporting patient, cancer survivors, and caregivers
- Interpreting articles about cancer in the media
The Understanding Cancer curriculum is perfect for laypersons as well as healthcare students and professionals wishing to learn more about cancer in an engaging and safe environment.
The workshops are presented by a trained Understanding Cancer facilitator to either large or small groups in a half-day training either on-site or via webinar format. Attendees will take part in engaging and interactive activities related to the six chapters of the Understanding Curriculum.
Understanding Cancer facilitators are familiar with the guidebook’s content and have attended specialized training that explains how to coordinate and present the material to individuals in their communities.
Each facilitator has a Facilitator Guide that is used to deliver these workshops. The Facilitator Guide provides a pre-created PowerPoint presentation to lead the workshop, tips on managing the discussions, and guidance on how to lead engaging activities throughout the workshop.
By sharing this knowledge, we can help one another better understand cancer and how to prevent it. Facilitators reach out to local civic groups, churches, health departments, healthy lifestyle organizations, etc., to gauge their interest in holding an Understanding Cancer workshop.
If you are interested in becoming a facilitator in your community, please contact us.