Kalamazoo, Mich. – What if you could prevent even one family member from hearing the words, “You have cancer”? The American Cancer Society is seeking cancer fighters in the Southwest Michigan area who are interested in helping to spread the word about the importance of participating in Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), a historic nationwide study to help researchers better understand the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer.
A one-hour kick-off event will take place on Thursday, September 6, at 9 a.m. at West Michigan Cancer Center, 200 N. Park St., Kalamazoo. CPS-3 champions will receive all the information they need to help educate and recruit community members to enroll in CPS-3.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Americans to participate in lifesaving cancer research,” said Crystal Parish, director, American Cancer Society Southwest Michigan Office in Portage. “We are excited to offer a week-long opportunity for area residents to make an appointment and enroll in the study at their convenience this fall. Our goal is to recruit 50 or more CPS-3 champions and enroll a total of 350 participants during this time. In order to reach these targets, we need passionate people who are committed to fighting cancer. While the American Cancer Society has been conducting these types of studies for decades, their world-class research department can only study new and emerging cancer risks if members of the community are willing to become involved.”
Men and women who are willing to commit to the study must be between the ages of 30 and 65 and never have been diagnosed with cancer. The study will enroll a diverse population of 300,000 people across the United States. To enroll, individuals provide a waist measurement, give a small blood sample and complete a comprehensive survey online or at the enrollment site. Over the course of the study, participants will be asked to fill out follow-up surveys every few years.
“Many individuals diagnosed with cancer struggle to answer the question, ‘What caused my cancer?’ In many cases, we don’t know the answer,” said Parish. “CPS-3 will help us better understand what factors cause cancer, and once we know that, we can be better equipped to prevent cancer.”
Whether you are a cancer survivor, caregiver or are interested in honoring a friend or loved one who has battled cancer, you are invited to serve as a CPS-3 champion. To RSVP for the kick off, please call 269-349-8710 or email Crystal Parish at crystal.parish@cancer.org. For more information about CPS-3, visit www.cancer.org/cps3 or call toll-free 1-888-604-5888.
Enrollment in the study will take place at five different sites in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area Oct. 30 through Nov. 8. The sites include:
Bronson Health – Jasper Clinic
526 Jasper St., Kalamazoo
Tuesday, Oct. 30
3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Davenport University
200 Van Buren St. West, Battle Creek
Thursday, Nov. 1
2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
YMCA of Portage
2900 West Centre, Portage
Saturday, Nov. 3
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Borgess Health
1521 Gull Road, Kalamazoo
Wednesday, Nov. 7
2 p.m. top 5:30 p.m.
West Michigan Cancer Center
200 North Park Street, Kalamazoo
Thursday, Nov. 8
4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Local residents can make an appointment to enroll at their leisure by calling toll-free 1-888-604-5888 or going towww.seeuthere.com/cps3enroll/southwestmi.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
