Louisiana’s rural communities suffer from some of the state’s highest cancer rates partly due to a lack of access to resources, such as preventive screenings, education and cutting-edge clinical trials. The Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) Office of Community Outreach and Engagement has formed a statewide team to raise awareness about these critical programs.

“Reducing the impact of cancer in Louisiana begins with the help of community health workers who are physically present in rural areas to educate about cancer and connect individuals to the services they might need, such as smoking cessation, cancer screenings, and clinical trials. Through this team of community health specialists, the LCRC is making a statewide, coordinated effort to raise awareness of the wide range of resources that are available through partner organizations and clinicians,” said Nupsius E. Benjamin-Robinson, DrHSc, CPH, Director of LCRC’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement.

The LCRC engaged the Louisiana Community Health Outreach Network (LACHON) to build a team of 18 community health workers assigned to nine regions of the state as identified by the Louisiana Department of Health.  They live in their designated region and have a wealth of knowledge about the culture of the area.  Their duties are wide-ranging, from creating community events, connecting people with clinical partners, educating at health fairs and working individually with people to help them access the resources they need.

“The most advanced cancer treatments in the world are ineffective if you cannot get them to the people who need them. Our goal is to remove barriers that have kept people from access to the best care and prevention resources,” said Joe W. Ramos, PhD, director/CEO of the LCRC and director, LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center. “Our community health workers are key to opening the door to access in areas that desperately need these health resources.  It represents a big first step towards reducing cancer in rural and underserved parts of Louisiana.”

The workers will be supported by three newly hired nurse navigators who will help them access information and connect them to cancer research studies.

So far, five community health workers have been hired.  Interested applicants can view the job description here.

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Cover Photo by Emmanuel Hernández

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