RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia's new roadmap to battling cancer is now out as the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia (CACV) released its 2023-2027 Virginia Cancer Plan (VCP) as part of National Cancer Prevention Month.
"The Virginia Cancer Plan is a working document that provides a framework for eliminating cancer," CACV Executive Director Jessica Deering said. "The coalition is comprised of over 200 individual and organization members who are dedicated to cancer control and prevention in Virginia."
The group has released the plan every five years since 1998.
Deering said the plan aims to reduce cancer risks, eliminate preventable cancers, and reduce cancer deaths and has 18 goals covering six areas: prevention, early detection, diagnosis and cancer-directed therapy, survivorship and palliative care, pediatric/adolescent and young adult cancers, and health equity.
"The plan is for all Virginians, everyone has a role to play to reduce the burden of cancer," said Deering.
"Individuals -- they can maintain a healthy weight through a proper diet and exercising, they can quit smoking and support smoke-free schools, businesses, and parks, they can get screened for cancer based on national guidelines," added Deering. "Other organizations, public health agencies can remove barriers that are in place, currently, to help people prevent cancer, get screened, treatment and support. Employers can give people time off to go get their screenings and immunizations. And healthcare systems can help by offering mental health support to cancer survivors, [connecting] patients to clinical trials and offering palliative care and hospice is part of their covered services."
Among the plan's goals is to secure or increase funding for various programs and initiatives. This week, Deering delivered hard copies of the plan to all 140 members of the General Assembly.
"I think to know that we have a Virginia Cancer Plan, to understand some of the issues that we're focused on in the plan," Deering said of the reasons for the visit. "Some of them do require legislation, funding, and different things like that. And so, I think it's really important if they're representing Virginia to understand that this impacts so many Virginians."
CACV said that more than 400,000 Virginians live with cancer and four in ten will likely be diagnosed in Virginia.
The most commonly diagnosed cancers in Virginia are breast (32%), prostate (22%), lung (12-14%), and colon (8-9%).
Joining Deering was Mindy Conklin, who was among those who crafted the VCP and became involved in the cancer fight after her husband, Rich, was diagnosed with, and eventually died from, colorectal cancer.
"He battled for about 17 months and he ended up passing away at age 43 in January of 2011," said Conklin, who founded the non-profit Hitting Cancer Below the Belt after she took time off following Rich's death. "I realized during that year that nobody was talking about this disease and I felt like I needed to do something about it."
Now in its 10th year, Conklin said the non-profit works to raise awareness and educate people about colorectal cancer and provide free screenings around the state.
"We have screened over 4,200 people in the last six or seven years -- that's when we started our screening program," said Conklin.
Conklin said the VCP is a wonderful experience because it brings together so many stakeholders.
"It's almost like another family, if you will, because we all care about the same thing," said Conklin. "The state plan this year has really been updated, especially in regards to colorectal cancer, because the screening age has dropped to age 45. There are new screening options and we have a nice, sharp increase of colorectal cancer diagnoses in those folks under the age of 45. It's called early onset of colorectal cancer and so, there's a big push now in the plan to make sure that all medical providers are aware of the symptoms at any age that cannot be disregarded, that they have to get checked out."
Conklin said she hopes that one day her nonprofit will no longer be necessary, but will keep fighting until that time comes.
"Colorectal cancer is the second cancer killer in our country behind lung cancer, when you put men and women together in one cohort. So it's taken away too many of our loved ones," said Conklin.
You can download a copy of the 2023-2027 Virginia Cancer Plan here.
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