Forty CHWs from across Texas received training in Cervical Cancer prevention and detection, treatment, and survivorship education at the 3rd Annual HPV & Cervical Cancer Summit January 22nd in Houston.
The National Community Health Worker Training Center within the Center for Community Health Development, part of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, delivered the CHW training component of the Summit.
The summit was convened by: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Gynecology Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The Cervical Comprehensive Cancer Control Workgroup, Cervical Cancer-Free Texas, National Cervical Cancer Coalition – Houston Chapter, and Houston Community College Coleman College for Health Sciences. Including CHWs in this gathering is a reflection of the importance of community-based outreach and activism in reducing the incidence and impact of Cervical Cancer in Texas.
CHW Instructors Dr. Julie St. John, Ms. Katharine Nimmons, Ms. Paula Saldana, and Ms. Dinorah Martinez provided 5 hours of certified CEUs to CHWs attending the conference. CCHD staff used culturally tailored curricula and materials they developed to train CHWs on Cervical Cancer prevention and detection, treatment, and survivorship in three breakout sessions during the morning of the summit.
After a luncheon featuring Cervical Cancer survivors sharing their testimonies, the National CHW Training Center instructors presented lessons learned from the two year EPICO (Education to Promote Improved Cancer Outcomes) cancer education project funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas. Between 2011 and 2013, the EPICO project reached over 700 CHWs and 5000 residents across the state of Texas.
Approximately 300 people attended the conference, including the 40 CHWs who received training from CCHD National CHW Training Center staff.