National Cancer Institute
Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Special Populations Networks Cancer Health Disparities Summit 2003 Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel
Washington, D.C.
July 13-15, 2003
Since its inception 3 years ago, the Cancer Health Disparities Summit has focused on the Special Populations Network's (SPN) core requirements for the upcoming year or phase. Beginning April 1, 2003, SPNs transitioned to the third and final phase (years 4 and 5) of their 5-year projects. Thus, this year's Summit will focus on the core requirements for Phase III: Development of Grant Applications With Partners.
Phase III emphasizes the function of SPN partnerships as community-based cancer control consortia that are now fully operational, actively engaging the community in a suitable spectrum of pilot research projects, and ready to transition to peer-reviewed and funded cancer control/prevention research and demonstration projects. Concurrently, the SPNs will continue conducting cancer awareness activities while enhancing partnerships, educating about and recruiting to clinical trials, and pursuing greater training opportunities for junior researchers and community partners.
This year's Summit will highlight "Best Practices" within each of the SPN's six racial/ethnic groups (Asian American, American Indian, Appalachian, African American, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, and American Samoan). Presentations are expected to underscore the important role partners play in SPN work and feed into planned discussions on how and why those activities work, as well as how these relationships might be strengthened. Participant feedback from previous years will be reflected by making the Summit more interactive, featuring more minority presenters, eliminating the didactic lecture format, and profiling more SPN field staff. Attendees are expected to:
Gain a clearer understanding as to how SPNs perform their work, as well as their challenges and accomplishments
Achieve heightened appreciation for the diverse cultures that make up the SPNs and explore commonalities
Identify areas where improvement is needed and collaborations are possible
Attain an enhanced sense of connectedness with each SPN and the NCI
