The UF Health Cancer Center’s Power Over Cancer Gathering on March 29 drew a packed crowd to learn about breast, ovarian and cervical cancers and their sexual impact, get support, and draw inspiration from cancer survivors.
The gathering at Springhill Church included presentations on prevention, early detection and new treatment options by UF Health gynecologic oncologist Kaitlin Nicholson, M.D., and Oluwadamilola Oladeru, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Mayo Clinic.
Carolyn M. Tucker, Ph.D., a research professor in the UF department of psychology, gave a presentation on the sexual impact of these cancers on women and their spouses or partners. Cancer survivors are about three times more likely than others to experience sexual difficulties.
Attendees had the opportunity to discuss the impact of cancer in small group discussion sessions, ask questions during a panel session, and learn about participating in UF research studies. Two cancer survivors also shared words of inspiration of hope, stressing the importance of early detection and calling on their faith.
“To improve cancer care and survivorship, it takes all of us loving each other,” said Tucker, director of the Cancer Center’s Community-Partnered Cancer Disparities Research Collaborative (CDRC).
The gathering was presented by the CDRC, which consists of 10 Black churches, and the Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, which offered tours of the Mobile Cancer Screening Connector and signed people up for cancer screenings. The Community Outreach and Engagement team provided cancer resources and education and conducted a community needs assessment to be sure its work best meets the needs of the communities it serves.
East Gainesville resident Joni Perkins was motivated to attend to learn about resources to support her father, a colorectal cancer survivor. But she found much that applied to own life.
“I got a lot more out of it than what I originally thought I was going to get coming in,” she said.
Perkins said she was interested to learn about opportunities to participate in UF research studies, noting she took the information home since many were applicable to her or people she knows.
“I probably would not have known about those if I hadn’t come to this event,” Perkins said. “Events like these help bridge the gap in getting this information to regular people in the community.”
Perkins also toured the Mobile Cancer Screening Connector, which is outfitted with leading-edge technology to bring a range of cancer screening and health care services directly to communities, including 3D mammography and screenings for cervical, colon and prostate cancers.
“Being able to bring something like that to the people to meet them where they are is a really great resource,” she said. “Someone may not be able to come in to get a screening at a health clinic, but to be able to bring the clinic to them is awesome.”
East Gainesville resident Carrie Parker-Warren said the bus will be particularly helpful for those who lack transportation, reducing barriers to receiving high-quality health care.
“This is going to help a lot of people who really need it,” she said. “Bringing this into our communities helps people rise up.”
“Bringing this into our communities helps people rise up.”
The gathering was the fourth event in the Power Over Cancer series, which aims to empower community members by providing high-quality health information and create a dialogue about cancer prevention, care and research.
This dialogue is vital, both for community members and UF Health Cancer Center physicians and researchers, said Thomas George, M.D., FACP, FASCO, deputy director of the UF Health Cancer Center.
“I always walk away with both more information, but also more hope and more inspiration about how we’re going to make a difference in the lives of patients to come,” he said.
