Leaders from California State University, Sacramento and UC Davis Cancer Center have signed an agreement to create a "Partnership to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities Through Education, Research and Training" that pairs the UC Davis Cancer Center's Outreach Research and Education Program with departments in Sacramento State's College of Health and Human Services.

The agreement calls for the two entities to collaborate on initiatives to strengthen cancer education and outreach and increase cancer awareness in diverse populations.

The goal is a long-term partnership that leads to research in cancer prevention and control and builds on the two entities' expertise in health literacy, informed decision-making, problem solving, symptom management, and cultural, educational and informational interventions.

"This memorandum of understanding represents a significant opportunity for collaboration between UC Davis Cancer Center and Sacramento State," said Ric Brown, Sacramento State provost and vice president for academic affairs. "The faculty and students of both institutions will benefit from this partnership as will the residents of the Sacramento region with respect to health care."

Ralph deVere White, assistant dean for cancer programs at UC Davis and director of the UC Davis Cancer Center, said the groundbreaking partnership will help make the Sacramento region the first in the country to eliminate disparities in cancer among underserved populations.

"By joining with our colleagues at Sacramento State, we take a great step forward," deVere White said. "The CSUS faculty bring a whole set of complementary areas of expertise to this fight. We look forward to working with them and other organizations within the greater Sacramento area to mount a broad regional attack on the disproportionate cancer burdens facing underserved populations."

Among the projects under consideration are joint grant applications for research, training and programs, graduate student research opportunities, scholarships for minority students, and training opportunities with federal agencies. The partnership may also develop activities to bring faculty, staff and students from each institution together to increase awareness each other's programs and explore new outreach techniques.

Three potential projects are in development for the first year of the partnership:

Co-development and submission of a National Institutes of Health grant to develop and test ways to improve symptom management and quality of life in elderly patients diagnosed with cancer.
Co-sponsorship of a series of events centered on ovarian cancer, including an art exhibit, presentations and workshops on cancer awareness and prevention, and a two-day medical conference.
Creation of community networks focused on the Hispanic/Latino, African American and American Indian populations. The networks will train community health educators and develop a model for cancer awareness and prevention programs.
Sacramento State is making a difference in California's Capital Region and beyond. Sacramento State offers a life-changing opportunity for its 28,000 students, preparing them to be leaders in their fields and communities. Its professors are known for their dedication to great teaching. And its location in the capital of the nation's largest state allows students to pursue unique internships and research.

UC Davis Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region the size of Pennsylvania. Its Outreach Research and Education Program works to eliminate disparities in cancer region wide.