On May 9th, a lively group of 250 men and women from the Houston area gathered at Windsor Village for AWARE for All– “Let’s Talk About Ending Cancer” to learn about the process of clinical research, the important role of the participant, and the research that is currently happening in the Houston community. The oncology focused program was sponsored nationally by EMD Serono, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, as well as local sponsors MD Anderson Cancer Center, Windsor Village UMC Ministries, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences Community Engagement and Research Component.
With a dedicated planning team, over 30 community and research partners, and outreach to over 50,000 individuals through various media, the event buzzed with excitement and a heart-warming community response. The program also included a presentation for Spanish-speakers to learn more about clinical research participation and its significance within the Hispanic and Latin American communities.
Attendees received a variety of free health screenings, explored interactive health exhibits with community groups, and learned from prominent Houston-area doctors. Many attendees reported that they felt the most powerful part of the program was hearing the personal stories from the study volunteers within their community and recognizing the individuals in the audience who had taken part in clinical research. These Medical Heroes received certificates and the newest edition of Ken Getz’s book The Gift of Participation.
”In creating the AWARE for All program, our focus at CISCRP is strictly to educate patients, their families and the general public – including minorities and the under-served not represented in clinical trials – about clinical research and how best to make an educated decision about it,” said CISCRP’s Jill McNair, Director of the AWARE for All program.
“The goal of the AWARE for All event is to help our diverse communities to reclaim their power and understand ALL their treatment options so that they can make the best decision for themselves and their families,” explained Lynn Nguyen, AWARE-Houston planning team member and Director of Population & Community Core at the Center for Community-Engaged Translational Research at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
AWARE for All events have reached communities across the United States. CISCRP is proud to return to Boston for the next AWARE for All event, and is currently looking to find the next host community for Fall 2014.
To nominate your community, visit www.awareforall.org.