Collaborations
Community outreach and engagement advisory board
Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board meeting
The UF Health Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board is a committed group of community experts who gather in the spirit of building equitable partnerships and infusing a community perspective into our cancer research agenda. Using a community-engaged research process, advisory board members meet and openly discuss cancer-related issues faced by residents of our 22-county catchment area.
With encouragement from Director Jonathan Licht, M.D., the advisory board identified their top priorities: cancer screening, transportation services, the cancer-related needs of those with mental and behavioral health conditions and support through trained community health workers. In response to these priorities, Licht has dedicated funding for new cancer screening pilot projects targeting our most vulnerable populations — those who seek care at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). With this support, the Community Outreach and Engagement office is launching Project CONTINUITY: CONnecTing hIgh risk aNd Underserved Individuals To care in the communitY. The long-term goals of Project CONTINUITY are:
- To increase bundles of cancer screening in diverse health care settings in our catchment area, including at FQHCs and;
- To use novel, evidence-based strategies to link patients to needed treatment and follow-up.
FQHCs are located throughout our 22-county catchment area and provide needed care to marginalized populations in underserved areas. FQHCs are community-based and comprehensive health care providers that offer primary and preventive services, dental care, mental health and substance abuse services, as well as specialty care and programs to address social and structural determinants of health.
Bond Community Health Center (CHC), located in Tallahassee, Florida, has been a FQHC for over 30 years, providing patient-centered approaches to primary and preventive health care for residents of neighboring counties and access to high- quality health services with a particular concern for lower socioeconomic groups, regardless of their ability to pay. Our partnership with Bond CHC has grown with the addition of LaTrina Massey, M.P.H., the Community Outreach and Engagement team’s newest Community Health Resource coordinator who will be hosted at Bond CHC as she works to impact cancer health outcomes in the Big Bend region of Florida.
Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board Members
Chair: Sue Colson – Cedar Key (Levy County) City Commissioner
Shirley Bloodworth – Citizen Scientist
Amy Bucciarelli– UF Arts in Medicine
Ann Walsh Collett – Parent and community advocate
Linda Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., FACE – Professor, UF Department of Epidemiology; UF HealthStreet
Jeff Feller – CEO, Well Florida Council, North Central Florida Cancer Control Collaborative
Jeri Francoeur – Board Member/Advocacy Chair, Florida Breast Cancer Foundation
Howard Freeman, Ed.D. – Stop Children’s Cancer
Harriette Hudson – Chair of Sisters Alive, an African American Advisory Board to the American Cancer Society
Eunice Johnson, Ph.D. – Cancer community advocate for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia
Francis Knight – Member of Sisters Alive, an African American Advisory Board to the American Cancer Society
Robin Lewy – Director of Programming, Rural Women’s Health Project
Michael McTiernan, M.D. – UF Community Health & Family Medicine
Rick Medina – Climb for Cancer board member
Barbara Richardson, Ph.D. – Area Health Education Center
Kendra Siler-Marsiglio, Ph.D. – Rural Health Partnership of North Central Florida, Inc.
Terry Weber – Survivors for Research
Cancer Center Leadership Council
CCLC Members (This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
The UF Health Cancer Center Leadership Council plays a critical role for the center by increasing public awareness of its mission. Made up of approximately 20 volunteers from the local community, as well as Sarasota and Orlando, in addition to foundations that support the UFHCC such as Climb for Cancer, Stop Children’s Cancer and the Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research, the members of the UFHCC Leadership Council are advocates for the center, hosting events and providing opportunities for faculty to interact with the public. In raising awareness, the council’s mission dovetails with the UF Health Cancer Center Office of Development’s efforts to secure philanthropic support through excellent service and stewardship to donors, patients and the entire community.
Cancer Center Leadership Council Members
Connie Brown
Susan DiNatale
Chuck DiNatale
Ronald Farb
Dianna Farb
Howard Freeman
Laurel Freeman
Devin Gantzios
Anna Gonzalez
Stacey Hayes
James Islam
Sharon Jank
Mark Jank
DeeDee Smith
Rod Smith
Development Partners
By fostering philanthropic investment, the UF Health Cancer Center Office of Development supports the center in its mission of advancing cancer research, education and patient care. The Office of Development focuses on individual philanthropy, working with University of Florida alumni, private foundations and corporations, friends of the center and grateful patients. They also work with both university and community partners, such as the Cancer Center Leadership Council and local nonprofit organizations, on awareness and fundraising events.
The Climb for Cancer Foundation was founded in 2003 by Ron and Dianne Farb, following Ron’s sister’s breast cancer diagnosis. Today, this nonprofit organizes group climbs around the world, on summits such as Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for patient-focused initiatives at UF Health. To date, Climb for Cancer has raised more than $1.5 million.
The Ocala Royal Dames’ mission is to support educational programs and activities that promote, enhance and further cancer research and education on a local and regional level. Comprising more than 240 women from the local community, the Dames host a number of events throughout the year to fund their philanthropic mission, including the Tiara Ball. To date, the Dames have provided more than $1.5 million in research support to UF, as well as support for continuing medical education for residents and clinicians.
Founded in 2016 by Barb Thomas and Terry Weber, both breast cancer survivors, the primary mission of Survivors for Research is to raise funds to provide opportunities for research, education and service to enhance the lives of those affected by triple-negative breast cancer. Through events such as their annual Tea for a Cure and Party on the Patio, Survivors for Research has invested $20,000 in cancer research at the UF Health Cancer Center.
Founded in 1981 by Howard and Laurel Freeman, Stop Children’s Cancer began as the vision of their daughter, Bonnie, to raise $1 million to end children’s cancer. Thirty-seven years and more than $8 million later, Stop Children’s Cancer has been an integral part of bringing clinical trials to the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and the UF Health Cancer Center.