New York State Launches Cancer Plan Dashboard
(PRWEB) August 21, 2014 -- Next Generation Choices Foundation, more widely known as Lesscancer.org, is pleased to announce the launch of the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan Dashboard (the Dashboard) in partnership with the New York State Cancer Consortium (the Consortium). The Consortium is a network of individuals and organizations that collaborate to address the burden of cancer in New York State guided by the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, 2012-2017 (the Plan).
“Lesscancer.org Board member Margaret I. Cuomo, M. D. is a member of New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, and now the Dashboard will provide us with the information we need to monitor progress toward reaching the Plan’s cancer control goals and objectives by 2017," Bill Couzens, founder of Less Cancer said. "We are especially proud of Dr. Cuomo's participation in the Consortium. Dr. Cuomo is not only a physician, but an author and educator who is keenly focused on cancer prevention. As a member of the NYS Cancer Consortium, Dr. Cuomo will be paying close attention to cancer prevention efforts and control efforts in NYS with evidence-based, evidence-informed, best practices and promising practices.” According to Dr. Cuomo, "The Dashboard is a tool that will help to guide our collaborative work to meet the goals and objectives identified in the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan.”
The interactive, web-based Dashboard will be used to monitor the progress of twenty-four health promotion, cancer prevention and early detection indicators identified in the Plan so that state level progress can be clearly seen and priority areas can be readily identified. One such priority area is the need to promote the HPV vaccine to parents, health care providers and directly to boys and girls. The HPV vaccine is the only vaccine that prevents cancer, but the Dashboard illustrates that only 40% of girls 13-17 years of age have completed the necessary three doses of the vaccine, and about 18% of boys 13-17 years of age have received even the first dose in New York State. The HPV virus is thought to be responsible for more than 90% of cervical and anal cancers, about 70% of vaginal and vulvar cancers, and more than 60% of penile cancers. This information fuels the fire for organizations concerned with cancer prevention to raise awareness about this lifesaving vaccine, particularly as August marks National Immunization Awareness Month.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in New York State. Nearly 35,000 New Yorkers die each year from cancer and there are more than 100,000 newly diagnosed each year. Collaboration between government, health care providers, advocacy groups and other stakeholders is essential to address the burden of cancer across the continuum of cancer care, from prevention and early detection to treatment and quality of life issues.
The Dashboard will be hosted on the New York State Department of Health’s public website and data will be maintained by their staff.
To see the Dashboard, visit http://www.health.ny.gov/cancercontroldashboard.
To see more about the Consortium, go to: http://www.nyscancerconsortium.org.
LessCancer.org is the official website of the Next Generation Choices Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 to educate the public about cancer prevention through digital media and community-supported programming. Less Cancer’s mission is to make risk reduction and prevention vital parts of cancer cures. The organization reaches more than 100,000 regular followers in over 30 countries. They seek to broaden public knowledge regarding cancer prevention, including sharing information about environment- and food-based causes of cancer; risk-reduction strategies; changing community or corporate practices and products; building alliances with business and industry; and creating options for healthy choices.
Bill Couzens, Less Cancer, (540) 270-4587, [email protected]
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