Organization: Canadian Cancer Society

Project: Health Promotion Outreach

Grant: $28,000

“The IGA allowed us to better educate northern communities on the importance of sun safety, being smoke free, eating well and being active, even when resources are limited.”

– Mr. Albert Pelley, Vice President of Philanthropy, Canadian Cancer Society (NL Division)

flowers cove canon richards    port hope simpson

Flowers Cove – Canon Richards Memorial Academy                   Port Hope Simpson – Bayside Academy

Mary’s Harbour – St. Mary’s All Grade

mary's harbour

From June 2017 to October 2017, the Canadian Cancer Society’s Health Promotion team completed 64 cancer prevention sessions in 19 communities serviced by the International Grenfell Association. These 64 sessions offered life saving information to 2,507 people!

Many of the communities reached through funds provided by the IGA are extremely isolated.  Resources that encourage living well and being active are limited, and in some cases, do not exist, or require a several hour drive to avail of.  IGA funding allowed the outreach team to better educate northern communities on the importance of sun safety, being smoke free, eating well and being active, even when resources are limited.

The focus is to deliver health and wellness presentations that enhance awareness and improve the understanding of prevention, early detection and screening, improving knowledge regarding a cancer diagnosis and treatment, and addressing emotional and practical support needs.

By travelling to communities serviced by IGA with a UV Photobooth, diseased smoker’s lung, fruits and vegetables, as well as in-classroom physical activities, the team were able to demonstrate how choices you make about your health now can have an impact on your future.

Within the next 12 years, it is expected that the average annual number of new cancer cases will increase to 79%.  Half of all cancers can be prevented through healthy living and policies that protect the health of Canadians.  If this finding is applied to the 64 sessions in the 19 communities reached in the IGA area, the team may have prevented 1,253 cases of cancer.