In 1999 the Texas Cancer Council allocated funding for the formulation of an Action Plan on Colorectal Cancer for the State of Texas. The goal of the project was to identify the education, prevention and support resources currently available in the state and to recommend and prioritize those needing development, to reduce the impact of colorectal cancer in Texas.
A dynamic committee was assembled that included physicians from private and public healthcare sectors, epidemiologists and behavioral science experts, representatives from the Texas Department of Health and the American Cancer Society, Texas Division, various non-physician healthcare professionals, public affairs and media specialists, survivors and family members and featured geographical representation from El Paso, Dallas, San Antonio, Lubbock, Rio Grande Valley and West Texas. The committee was chaired by Bernard Levin, M.D., Vice President for Cancer Prevention at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Members included:
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Frank Ambriz,
P.A.-C.,
Grace Butler,
Ph.D., survivor,
Silvia Castañeda,
Healthbeat reporter,
Susan Cooley,
Ph.D., R.N., survivor,
Pearlie Fennell,
Ph.D.,
Jeff Hurley,
M.D.
Nora JanJan,
M.D., Radiation Oncology,
Constance Johnson,
R.N., Cancer Prevention,
Rosalie Johnson,
R.N., C.E.T.N.,
Jordan Lovy,
D.O.,
Gayle McMorrow,
family member, |
Ann Marie Newman,
Kimberly Ridl,
M.D.,
Catherine Ronaghan,
M.D., F.A.C.S.,
Alison Ruffin,
Public Affairs
Rolando Saenz,
M.D.,
Juanita Salinas,
Virginia Schneider,
P.A.-C.,
Roxanne Tyroch,
M.D.,
Sally W. Vernon,
Ph.D.,
Laura Wood, |
Ex Officio:
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Gerald D. Dodd,
M.D.,
Lewis Foxhall,
M.D.,
Sarah Tropman
Hawley, Ph.D., |
Harry Holmes,
Ph.D.,
Mickey L. Jacobs,
M.S.H.P.,
Alex Prokhorov,
M.D., |
The initial planning meeting for the project was held August 24, 1999. The full committee was recruited by mid-October, and a project timeline was constructed to convene three in-depth discussion sessions to address the many facets of colorectal cancer in Texas, including prevention, screening and detection; diagnosis and treatment; and rehabilitation, symptom control and palliative care. Guest presenters contributed their expert perspectives to the meetings. The Steering Committee identified a number of major issues and proposed a range and variety of strategies.
In April and May 2000, the committee was reorganized into a number of smaller “working groups,” to discuss in more depth the recommended goals and strategies from specific points of view. They defined a number of needs more precisely and designated priorities. In its fourth meeting the full committee confirmed its recommendations formatted in alignment with the 1998 Texas Cancer Plan.
The draft Action Plan document was reviewed and revised by members of the Steering Committee and Texas Cancer Council staff. The final printed document is scheduled for distribution to healthcare professionals, educators, policy-makers and opinion leaders, and for public posting on the World Wide Web, by the end of summer. The committee will convene one more time in August 2000 to discuss implementation of its recommendations.
| Schedule of Activities | ||
| November 30, 1999 | Meeting #1: Prevention & Early Detection | |
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January 18, 2000 |
Meeting #2: Diagnosis & Treatment | |
| March 27 | Meeting #3: Rehabilitation, Symptom Control & Palliative Care | |
| April to May | Working
Group Discussions: Service Availability: Prevention, Screening & Diagnosis Professional Education Patient & Family Education Public Information Policy Development & Enactment Research |
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June 9 |
Meeting #4: Review of Action Plan Recommendations | |
| June 15 | Final Plan to Texas Cancer Council for review | |
| July 31 | Plan completed | |
| August 15 | Plan distributed in hard copy and via Internet | |
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August 15 |
Meeting #5: Implementation in FY2001 |
In addition to the project Steering Committee, appreciation goes to the Texas Cancer Council staff and the following people, all of whom contributed to the successful completion of the Action Plan:
Carolyn G. Bernard, Texas Cancer Data Center
Patricia Diana Brooks, M.S., Texas Cancer Data Center
Eduardo Bruera, M.D., U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Nora Burkhalter, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Vonna Caleb-Drayton, Ph.D., Cancer Information Service
Linda Civallero, Cancer Information Service
Charles Cleeland, Ph.D., U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Ken Condon, Texas Department of Health
Lynn S. Couey, New York State Department of Health
Rosanne L. Evans, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Greg Fredo, Cancer Information Service
Elizabeth Gammon, C.P.A., U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Carol J. Garlinghouse, M.S.N., R.N.C., Michigan Department of Community Health
Gayle Harris, Texas Medical Association
Lyone Hochman, M.D., St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital
Nancy C. Lee, M.D., National Centers for Disease Control
Andrea Littlefield, Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, Texas Department of Health
Susan Loehner, Nurse Oncology Education Program
Susan Madigan, R.N., U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Gary Marsh, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Andy Miller, M.H.S.E., C.H.E.S., Physician Oncology Education Program, Texas Medical Association
Mark Moreno, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Beth Notzon, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Billy U. Philips, Jr., Ph.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.E., U.T. Medical Branch
David R. Risser, Ph.D., M.P.H., Cancer Registry, Texas Department of Health
Porter Storey, M.D., The Hospice at the Texas Medical Center
Claire Turney, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Sadai Varghese, U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Jo Ann Ward, M.P.H., Cancer Information Service
Jane T. Williams, M.S.N., R.N., C.S., F.N.P., O.C.N., U.T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Martha Crosier Wood, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Jenny E. Young, M.A., Texas Medical Association