PRESS RELEASE

From the Office of the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Gale R. Burstein

Date: June 24, 2019
Contact: Kara Kane, Public Information Officer

Email: kara.kane@erie.gov 
Phone: (716) 858-4941

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PARTNERS WITH THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR SUNY ON COMPREHENSIVE CANCER PREVENTION PROGRAM

Outreach with University at Buffalo team will focus on neighborhoods in East Buffalo/West Cheektowaga

The Erie County Department of Health has announced that it will partner with the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of the University at Buffalo (UB) on a comprehensive cancer prevention outreach program in the East Buffalo/West Cheektowaga area in Erie County.

In July 2018, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) reported the results of a study of NYS Cancer Registry data from 2011-2015. Four areas of NYS were identified, including the East Buffalo/West Cheektowaga section of Erie County, to have a higher than expected incidence of colorectal, prostate, kidney, esophageal, lung and oral cancers. NYSDOH is continuing its data collection and analysis, and its final report and recommendations are expected this year.

“While New York State is looking for potential causes of these elevated cancer incidences, such as behavioral, occupational or environmental factors, Erie County is taking a proactive approach to address this issue and connecting residents with resources and information that can reduce their risks of developing certain cancers,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “This initiative will operate alongside our existing Cancer Services Program, where eligible uninsured and underinsured Erie County residents can be screened for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer at no cost.”

“I was proud to include this important funding in the 2019 budget,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “A cancer diagnosis can be devastating, and with this program we aim to engage our community in education, screening and prevention. This is one more example of how Erie County is working to improve the health and quality of life for our residents.”

The UB team will develop messages to increase cancer prevention awareness among neighborhood residents and promote cancer screening resources and access to high-quality health care services. “We expect this project to include community voices and evidence-based resources in its outreach efforts and to involve local health care organizations and neighborhood groups in the planning and implementation of the program,” explained Dr. Burstein. “Once NYSDOH issues its report, our project will incorporate the NYSDOH recommendations into our outreach as well.” ECDOH anticipates the program to begin after July 1, 2019.

The University at Buffalo offered a multidisciplinary team that includes faculty from the UB Jacob’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Department of Family Medicine, the Primary Care Research Institute and School of Nursing, UBMD and the Patient Voices Network of Buffalo, which is a grassroots group of patients from underserved communities.

The cancer prevention outreach is intended for Erie County residents living near or within an area of East Buffalo/West Cheektowaga, roughly bounded by the Kensington Expressway/Rte.33 to the north and west, Walden Ave. to the south and the NYS Thruway/Rte. 90 to the east. Health care providers, health-related agencies and organizations that primarily serve residents in this area will be included in the outreach.

For More Information:

Erie County Cancer Services Program: http://www.erie.gov/cancerservices or (716) 858-7376.
New York State Cancer Registry and Cancer Statistics: https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry