Hitting Cancer Below The Belt Inc

COLON HEALTH AND COLORECTAL CANCER PREVENTION CANCER PREVENTION EDUCATION, EARLY DETECTION, RESEARCH

EARLY DETECTION SERVICE & PREVENTION EDUCATION: HCB2 CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH NINE FREE CLINICS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER SITES IN 2021 TO PROVIDE COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING TO MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS ACROSS VIRGINIA, HCB2 PURCHASES FIT SCREENING KITS FOR PATIENTS AND TESTING STRIPS FOR MEDICAL STAFF TO FACILITATE THE SCREENING OF PATIENTS. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR CLINICS AND THEIR PATIENTS WERE ALSO PROVIDED AS WELL AS STAFF TRAINING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT WHERE NEEDED. OVER 1,050 PATIENTS WERE SCREENED IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR COLORECTAL CANCER IN 2021 DUE TO HCB2'S FREE CLINIC FIT SCREEINIG PROGRAM.

COLON HEALTH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES: HCB2 CONTINUED TO PROVIDE FREE COLON HEALTH SERVICES IN 2021 VIA'NO CONTACT' HEALING BELLY BASKET DELIVERY TO CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS. DUE TO ONGOING PANDEMIC ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED FOR DELIVERY VIA PHONE OR ONLINE. A TRAVEL-SIZE MAIL FRIENDLY VERSION OF THE BASKET WAS CREATED TO DELIVER EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS OUTSIDE OF DELIVERY SERVICE AREA.OVER 90 BASKETS AND TRAVEL-SIZED VERSION WERE PROVIDED TO THOSE IN NEED. THE BASKET INCLUDES INFORMAITON ABOUT EACH NUTRITIONAL ITEM, EACH OF WHICH IS SHOWN THROUGH RESEARCH TO INCREASE GUT HEALTH, BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND CONTRIBUTE TO OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLBEING. IN ADDITION, WE CONTINUE TO INCLUDE THE HCB2 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' GROCERY LIST IN THE BASKETS AND THE TRAVEL-SIZED VERSION SENT THROUGH THE MAIL. THE GROCERY LIST IS ALSO DISTRIBUTED AT COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, AND INFORMATION IS DOWNLOADABLE ON THE HCB2.ORG WEBSITE. AFTER COMPLETING CANCER TREATMENT, PATIENTS ARE LEFT WITH LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR HEALTH THROUGH EVERY DAY NUTRITIONAL CHOICES. THE NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION EFFORTS DELIVERED THROUGH THE HCB2 HEALING BELLY BASKET PROGRAM HELP TO PROVIDE THEM HOPE, RESTORATION AND WELLNESS. HCB2 CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO PEOPLE OF SCREENING AGE AND HIGH RISK THROUGH BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND EMPLOYERS. FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE DONE IN-PERSON, HCB2 BROUGHT THEIR POPULAR AND ENTERTAINING LARGE INFLATABLE COLON. AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL RESORCES, TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN A DEEPER LEVEL OF CONVERSATION, ABOUT COLON HEALTH, DISEASE PREVENTION, AND EARLY DETECTION.

REACHING YOUNGER POPULATION: "CAN WE TALK?" INTITAIVE WAS EXPANDED IN 2021 AS HITTING CANCER BELOW THE BELT CREATED A JUNIOR BOARD CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE JUNIOR BOARD MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE THEIR PEERS AND COMMUNITY IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE COLON HEALTH AND PREVENT YOUNG PEOPLE'S DIAGNOSIS OF COLORECTAL CANCER. THE MEMBERS HELP IN PLANNING, CREATION OF CONTENT, AND MARKETING OF MESSAGES AND ACTIVITES TO BETTER REACH THE GENERATION Z COMMUNITY. THIS GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE 2X MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH COLON CANCER AND 4X MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH RECTAL CANCER. RESEARCH REVEALS BY 2030 COLORECTAL CANCER WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN 20-39 YEAR OLD POPULTATION. TO PREVENT THIS DISEASE, AWARENESS NEEDS TO BE RAISED, EDUCATION MUST BE GIVEN, AND PROACTIVE LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS MUST BE ENGAGED. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE EQUIPPED TO REACH THEIR PEERS IN UNIQUE WAYS AND JUNIOR CREW IS AN ASSET TO HCB2. THE STUDENTS RECEIVE NUMEROUS BENEFITS WHICH INCLUDE OBTAINING COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS,PRIDE IN GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, OPPORTUNITIES TO SHADOW BOARD MEMBERS,BECOMING EDUCATED ABOUT COLON HEALTH, AND BECOMING A STAND OUT ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS. STRIKE OUT CANCER AN ACTIVITY PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WHICH BROUGHT OVER 600 STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF AREA HIGH SCHOOLS TOGETHER CONTINUES TO BE ON HOLD DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.HOWEVER,HCB2 HAS BEEN ABLE TO VISIT SCHOOLS WITH THEIR LARGE INFLATABLE COLON DURING OUTDOOR EVENING ATHLETIC GAMES IN WHICH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ARE DISTRIBUTED IN SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THE LARGE INFLATABLE COLON IS AN ENTERTAINIG EDUCATIONAL AID AND HELPS TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS DISEASE.