Community Outreach and Engagement Program

Mays Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in Central and South Texas. We deliver leading therapies and investigate new care methods.

Community Outreach and Engagement is expanding the reach of these efforts. We are raising the level of cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship services available to the 38 counties we serve.

Mays Cancer Center Community Outreach and Engagement

We partner with clinics, health advocates, community leaders and researchers to achieve our community outreach and engagement goals, which include:

• Monitoring and evaluating the region’s cancer burden, disparities and risk factors
• Engaging our community in outreach, policy and research activities
• Using findings from these efforts to inform future research and outreach activities

Read messages from our leadership to learn more.

Our efforts include:

Reducing the cancer burden

For years, we have been assessing the unique ways cancer affects our South Texas community. For example, we have learned that our communities experience rates of liver, cervical and gastric cancer that are higher than the rest of the country.

Our efforts aim to raise local awareness of prevention, treatment and survivorship services, particularly for cancer types impacting our community in higher numbers. Learn more about the South Texas cancer burden and our work.

Working with community partners

We develop meaningful relationships with clinics, health advocates and community leaders. These relationships enable us to gain valuable insights into cancer care challenges.

For example, we know that many patients have difficulty accessing care and trusting providers. Some are not aware of the importance of screenings. We are working with our community partners to address these challenges through local education efforts and publications.

Including community representatives in key decisions

Our team relies on input from trusted community members to guide outreach and engagement. These efforts include providing cancer education through presentations to key community groups. Meet our community advisory board.

Bringing community needs and concerns to researchers

Outreach and engagement efforts play an important role in the Mays Cancer Center’s research. Our current focus is on high-risk and special population groups that include:

• Latinos and African Americans
• Children, adolescents and older adults
• Firefighters, farm workers, active-duty military and veterans
• Non-metropolitan communities near the U.S.-Mexico border

We share critical findings with our research teams so they can meet the unique needs of our community.

Find out more about:

• Our cancer research programs
• Our cancer clinical trials

Sharing best practices

Community Outreach and Engagement efforts are uncovering both data and new care methods. We share this information through presentations and publications in the hopes that it will benefit other South Texas cancer care initiatives.

Read Community Outreach and Education publications