Project CONTINUITY is working with local communities and clinics to increase access to high-quality cancer prevention, detection and treatment services.
INTERVENING TO IMPROVE CARE
Understanding needs. Improving health.
Project CONTINUITY was launched to increase access to evidence-based cancer screenings, with an initial focus on cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccine uptake in vulnerable populations. Beyond that, Project CONTINUITY ensures a connection to needed care for all individuals. The care spans the continuum from screening through treatment and uses tailored communications, community outreach and engagement, and clinical navigation services. By intervening at partnering health facilities that provide care in underserved communities, we can tailor high-quality care to each person based on their social and health care needs and link them to needed care and follow-up. These efforts are made possible through collaboration between community leaders, local health care facilities, providers and researchers.
Our Services
Cancer prevention and risk reduction education and tools
Cervical and colorectal cancer screening
Health system navigation
Women’s health and reproductive care
Translation
Transportation
Meet Our Partners
Clinical
Community
Our Approach
improve health
Increasing cancer screening
One of Project CONTINUITY’s main goals is to increase the uptake of evidence-based cancer prevention screenings, with a special focus on at-risk populations, cervical and oral cancer and barriers to care.
counsel
Providing counseling and engagement
Providers and patients engage in shared decision making on screening eligibility and follow-up. They actively work alongside patients, linking them to appropriate care, providing tools for patients to lower their risk, establishing self-management goals and creating a coordinated care plan.
link to care
Connecting patients to treatment
Participating providers: refer patients for treatment, provide service, share their findings with the study group and develop tailored care plans.
support
Linking patients to community resources and support
Project CONTINUITY connects patients with needed community support. Participating providers will assess non-medical risks and barriers to care and provide patients with available community resources to help overcome them.
Steering Committee
Kandra Albury, M.A., is an Alachua County author, children’s advocate and literary coach. She is the co-CEO and founder of More Than Expected Publishing, a full-service publishing agency in Gainesville. She is the president and CEO of Kids’n Capes Inc., an organization that serves as a catalyst to community members, donors and organizations to help prevent and raise awareness of sexual abuse, bullying and illegal drug use in children early on. Kandra earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of North Florida and a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Florida. She has a Ph.D. in ministerial education from Truth Bible University, and she is a proud product of the Putnam County School System. In 2012, she published her memoir, From Food Stamps to Favor. Immediately after publishing her first book, she released the signature book in her children’s book series titled, Don’t You Dare Touch Me Ther! This book has been read to more than 5,000 children and adults in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Colorado and Kigali, Rwanda. Her literary and children’s advocacy work has been featured in numerous print publications, as well as on local, national and international television networks such as WCJB-TV-20, WUFT, WJXT-Channel 4, African Network Television-ANTV (host of the Kids’n Capes Show) and Trinity Broadcasting Network, the largest Christian network in the world. Kandra is married to James C. Albury, director of the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium at Santa Fe College. They are the proud parents of three amazing children and an awesome grandson. She is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Gainesville’s Delta Sigma Zeta Chapter. Kandra believes where there is no path, create your own and make it wide enough for others to travel as well.
Pastor Gerard Duncan is a social entrepreneur and civic engagement advocate, community event planner and community organizer. He is also the senior pastor of Prayers By Faith Ministries in Gainesville and president of Innovative Dads Inc. He has been instrumental in developing and organizing community engagement programs for over 20 years. He mentors young fathers and at-risk youth and their families, as well as incarcerated men with the goal of revitalizing communities, creating opportunities for education and life enrichment and achieving measurable outcomes for sustainability. He is a member of the Executive Office of the Governor’s Faith-Based State Community Advisory Council, past executive board member of the United Way of North Central Florida, and a past chair of the Family/Jobs Committee Gainesville4All. In addition, he is a member of UF/IFAS Extension Steering Committee, Alachua County Extension Advisory Committee, UF Strategic Planning and Jury Award Committee, City of Gainesville Strategic Planning Committee, the Department of Juvenile Justice Faith Network, Santa Fe College Community Advisory Board, UF Workforce Development Advisory Committee and the Gainesville Thrives Executive Board. He believes in establishing long-term, sustainable and respectful collaborations while bridging the gap and being a liaison between stakeholders and the community.
Chanae Jackson is a passionate social justice community activist, servant leader, strategist, entrepreneur and published author. Chanae earned the title of “The Accidental Activist” in 2018 after consistently sounding the injustice alarm, and she has consistently mobilized the community to action. Chanae encourages Black voters to run, not walk, to the polls. She is a Gainesville native who has spent her life using her personal and career experiences to serve others. In addition to her real estate experience, she has extensive experience in banking/finance, sales, health care and hospitality. Chanae’s experience as an employee/contractor of companies such as Publix, The Cheesecake Factory, Hyatt Hotels, SunTrust Bank, UF Health, and HCA Healthcare has been pivotal in building a wealth of knowledge and resources to best serve her clients’ needs and desires. She owns and successfully operates multiple sustainable businesses: Oasis Homecare and Companion Services (health care, concierge phlebotomy), Converge Creative Solutions (research and community engagement), Florida Forward Coalition (political strategies), and Assurance Holdings (property management and notary signing agent), and she is a licensed real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty. Her community service is multifaceted. As a cofounder of the Black Parent Support Network, Gainesville Raise up Judicial Support Council, Healing for All board member, First Community CDC, and member of Alachua County Education Activists, her mission is to bring awareness to current social issues, address gaps in services and work to offer fresh solutions for existing social issues. When Chanae is not working in her community, she is spending quality time with her children, creating memories and focusing on the small actions that they can take to preserve the environment. Chanae is also an avid reader who enjoys traveling and creating her own family traditions.
Shelisia Jenkins is a native of Alachua, Florida, who has served proudly in the U.S. Army. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Troy State University and currently works as an application systems analyst and an entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Boys Always Dreaming youth mentoring program, a community-based program targeting the development of boys and young men ages 5 to 16 in the city of Alachua. Through this outreach program, mentoring sessions encourage and empower participants to set and achieve individual goals by providing educational opportunities, life skills and vocational training. The program’s mission is to provide young men with opportunities to fully capitalize on their talents while striving to maintain lifestyles that are free of substance abuse, violence and incarceration. She also owns Alachua Tire & Brake, and in her spare time, she focuses on family and community outreach.
Chanda Mayes, M.B.A., is a native of Gainesville. She is also a single mother of three young men and a case manager, entrepreneur and founder of SOAR Mentoring Services, a nonprofit organization. Chanda has a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in health care management. She also has a bachelor’s degree in health care management. She has over 15 years of experience in health care experience and managed care. Chanda’s expertise is in accounting, community outreach and engagement and management.
Shereka Nicole, M.Ed., is the CEO and founder of Premier Moms. She founded the organization based on the needs of other moms in her area and her own personal experiences as a married and single mom. Shereka has a Bachelor of Science in advertising with a concentration in psychology from the University of Florida and a Master of Education from Strayer University. She is also pursuing her doctoral degree in counseling. She is a children’s book author with 15 years of experience working with children and families. Shereka is a Florida notary public and has conducted trainings for businesses and individuals. She is also a radio/podcast host, and she has helped local nonprofits with marketing and outreach. She is currently working to help families with housing stability. Shereka is a Gator Career Consultant as well, a position through which she helps students navigate a competitive and dynamic workforce by providing one-on-one feedback. She takes pride in helping others and empowering moms to put themselves first.
Tarcha Rentz, Ph.D., M.Ed., is a lifelong resident of Alachua County, having lived in Newberry, Hague, and currently Gainesville. She is a graduate of Eastside High School in Gainesville, Santa Fe College, Florida State University and the University of Florida. She has earned six degrees: an associate’s degree in history from Santa Fe College; bachelor’s degrees in sociology and history and a specialist in educational leadership degree from Florida State University; and a Master of Education and a Ph.D. in special education from UF. She began her teaching career in Alachua County in 1996. Since then, she has become an educational leader and advocate. She is passionate about empowering and enhancing youth and their parents with the skills and resources to maximize their social and educational potential. While pursuing her Ph.D. at UF, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, a diagnosis that would forever change her life. In addition to being an educational leader, she is a certified mastectomy fitter and specializes in breast health. She is the owner of Lingerie Essentials, an online lingerie store that specializes in mastectomy, nursing, plus and unique sizes. She is the founder of Wishful Thinking, a nonprofit that provides celebratory support and experiences to breast cancer survivors who are in treatment. She is in her sixth year of serving on the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer planning committee. She is the wife of Ishmael Rentz and mom of Ian and Ieve.
