Oral Head And Neck Cancer Awareness Week (OHANCAW®)—April 20-26
Editor’s Note: The OHANCAW website is a great resource for Academy Members. You will find great background resources to share in your community, and organizational tools for participation. The following is reprinted from its website. What? A week that is organized by grass roots groups of individuals that are knowledgeable about cancers of the head and neck region. The week is organized at the discretion of these “local” directors and officers and customized to the resources and needs of their location. The week may include news releases, public service announcements, talks at middle schools, free cancer screenings, cancer survivor banquets, walk-a-thons, and research conferences. Why? Head and neck cancers include cancers of the following areas: Mouth Throat Voice box Skin Sinuses Saliva glands Thyroid gland How? You can be the first to start OHANCAW® in your hometown. Sign up at http://www.kintera.org/site/c.8hKNI0MEImI4E/b.6281225/k.BDD9/Home.htm. Most people who start an event in their hometown have no idea how to begin. Here are the simple steps: Develop a timeline. Once you decide to begin and sign up on the website, you are ready to go. In fact, each participant will be provided the ability to create a webpage with information, images, and videos with links to your site through Friends Asking Friends. Identify what events you would like to participate in from the following list: News and media release Talks at middle schools by survivors and healthcare professionals Walk-a-thon Free cancer screenings Survivor events (banquet, silent auction, reception) Mayoral and/or gubernatorial official announcements Now, it is time to gather your volunteers which brings us to: Who? Physicians-otolaryngologists, head & neck surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, consider these resources to help your event: Cancer survivors Friends and family of cancer survivors Public relations and marketing department Nurses Speech pathologists Dieticians Social workers Dental hygienists Dental assistants Dentists, oral & maxillofacial surgeons, maxillofacial prosthodontists Students-medical, dental, speech and language pathology, undergraduate Where? The locations of each event may be different. Some of the places these events have occurred since the inaugural year of 1998 include: Clinics Hospitals Offices Malls Churches Barber shops and salons Cancer centers Dental schools Medical schools Health fairs NASCAR races Major league (and minor league) baseball games When? April 20-26, 2014 or any time of your choosing! Many groups around the U.S. and abroad organize these events during OHANCAW®, or on a day, date, or week of their choosing. Although the broadest exposure is during OHANCAW®, many people and organizations cannot schedule the event due to other conflicts. Thus, many are organized during other weeks or even months of the year. More information at: http://www.kintera.org/site/c.8hKNI0MEImI4E/b.6281225/k.BDD9/Home.htm. Patient Information
What?
A week that is organized by grass roots groups of individuals that are knowledgeable about cancers of the head and neck region. The week is organized at the discretion of these “local” directors and officers and customized to the resources and needs of their location. The week may include news releases, public service announcements, talks at middle schools, free cancer screenings, cancer survivor banquets, walk-a-thons, and research conferences.
Why?
Head and neck cancers include cancers of the following areas:
- Mouth
- Throat
- Voice box
- Skin
- Sinuses
- Saliva glands
- Thyroid gland
How?
You can be the first to start OHANCAW® in your hometown. Sign up at http://www.kintera.org/site/c.8hKNI0MEImI4E/b.6281225/k.BDD9/Home.htm.
Most people who start an event in their hometown have no idea how to begin. Here are the simple steps:
- Develop a timeline. Once you decide to begin and sign up on the website, you are ready to go. In fact, each participant will be provided the ability to create a webpage with information, images, and videos with links to your site through Friends Asking Friends.
- Identify what events you would like to participate in from the following list:
- News and media release
- Talks at middle schools by survivors and healthcare professionals
- Walk-a-thon
- Free cancer screenings
- Survivor events (banquet, silent auction, reception)
- Mayoral and/or gubernatorial official announcements
- Now, it is time to gather your volunteers which brings us to:
Who?
- Physicians-otolaryngologists, head & neck surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, consider these resources to help your event:
- Cancer survivors
- Friends and family of cancer survivors
- Public relations and marketing department
- Nurses
- Speech pathologists
- Dieticians
- Social workers
- Dental hygienists
- Dental assistants
- Dentists, oral & maxillofacial surgeons, maxillofacial prosthodontists
- Students-medical, dental, speech and language pathology, undergraduate
Where?
The locations of each event may be different. Some of the places these events have occurred since the inaugural year of 1998 include:
- Clinics
- Hospitals
- Offices
- Malls
- Churches
- Barber shops and salons
- Cancer centers
- Dental schools
- Medical schools
- Health fairs
- NASCAR races
- Major league (and minor league) baseball games
When?
April 20-26, 2014 or any time of your choosing! Many groups around the U.S. and abroad organize these events during OHANCAW®, or on a day, date, or week of their choosing. Although the broadest exposure is during OHANCAW®, many people and organizations cannot schedule the event due to other conflicts. Thus, many are organized during other weeks or even months of the year.
More information at: http://www.kintera.org/site/c.8hKNI0MEImI4E/b.6281225/k.BDD9/Home.htm.