For Immediate Release
June 20, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO - The Filipino Community Cancer Collaborative (FCCC) today launched an initiative to prevent colorectal cancer in the Filipino community by holding a workshop on colorectal cancer screening and education. As part of the initiative, FCCC also released bi-lingual marketing materials in English, Tagalog, and Ilocano promoting the importance of colorectal cancer screenings in underserved communities.
Colorectal cancer is considered to be one of the leading causes of cancer death for Filipinos, and is the third most common cancer type for Filipino men. Low cancer screening rates and the adoption of Westernized diets and behaviors can contribute to cancer risk among the Filipino community. Overall, the Filipino community has the lowest screening rates for colorectal cancer and also has the second poorest five-year survival rates for colorectal and rectal cancers of all U.S. ethnic groups, second only to American Indians."There are two major challenges facing our communities: lack of information about how colorectal cancer affects our communities in our languages and lack of access to preventative screenings," said Roxanna Bautista, Chronic Diseases Program Manager at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). "California state programs such as Every Woman Counts, which has addressed these challenges, have been shown to increase breast and cervical cancer screenings for underserved women across the state. We must implement a similar program for colorectal cancer screening, because we can save lives through prevention and screenings."
"Especially for the low income and uninsured and underinsured Filipinos in the San Francisco Bay Area, preventative cancer screenings are not a priority," said Rudy Ascercion, Executive Director of the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center. "Many of us only see the doctor when we can no longer ignore the symptoms, and we have to change that. We need to promote healthy living and educate our community to be proactive about health screenings."
APIAHF and the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center are members of the FCCC, which was created by the American Cancer Society in 2005. Funding for the colorectal cancer workshops and translated materials was made possible by the California Dialogue on Cancer and Wal-Mart.
The mission of the FCCC is to empower the Filipino community through culturally responsive cancer related education and outreach programs. Due to cancer being the second leading cause of death in Filipinos, FCCC's current strategic plan is to increase Bay Area Filipino community awareness about breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancer prevention and screening.
APIAHF is a national health policy organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Paciļ¬c Islanders. APIAHF's mission is to advocate for greater recognition, inclusion and engagement of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders on policies and programs that are critical to the health and well-being of our diverse and vibrant communities.
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