American Cancer Society Great American Health Check

Transcription

1 It s a Fact Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Can Save Lives Regular screening examinations can prevent some cervical and colorectal cancers by finding and removing precancerous growths. Regular screening can detect cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, cervix, prostate, oral cavity, and skin in their early stages. For most of these cancers, early detection has been proven to improve survival. Cancers related to smoking and heavy use of alcohol could be avoided. One-third of all cancer deaths are related to nutrition, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity, and thus could be prevented. Many new skin cancer cases (more than one million are diagnosed each year) could be prevented by people protecting themselves from the sun s rays and avoiding indoor tanning. By taking the Great American Health Check and encouraging others to participate, you are taking the first step toward creating a healthy community. Defining the Great American Health Check Some cancers can actually be prevented through regular cancer screening testing, and eliminating the use of tobacco products, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular physical activity, adopting healthy eating habits, and practicing sun safety are additional steps that can be taken to reduce your risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society promotes the importance of cancer early detection by encouraging all Americans to take the Great American Health Check an online assessment tool available at Individuals participating in the Great American Health Check will answer a few simple questions about themselves to learn about recommended early detection tests based on their age and gender. They will also learn about ways to reduce their cancer risk based on answers to these questions. Participants can then print out a personalized action plan for further discussion with their health care provider. Disclaimer: The American Cancer Society is pleased to be working with you to provide information and messages that support the health and wellness needs of your community members. Please be sure that the American Cancer Society is cited as your source of information when sharing content. All of the content in this document reflects updated information for Please be aware that changes to the text or content of this toolkit may also change the meaning of certain medical content, and is not recommended. Thank you again for your commitment to fighting cancer in your community. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 1 Inc.

2 Promoting the Great American Health Check in Your Community You can use the following tools to help promote the Great American Health Check within your community: Advocacy Not everyone has access to life-saving early detection tests. The American Cancer Society is working to ensure that everyone has access to health care. Learn more and get involved with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network at Brochures Brochures are available from your American Cancer Society. Contact your staff partner to obtain Great American Health Check brochures. E-cards Electronic cards make it easy to send an promoting the Great American Health Check. A variety of e-cards can be found at Blasts Begin promoting the Great American Health Check by sending blasts to committee members, community members, team captains, friends and family to encourage them to participate. These can also be distributed as tip sheets. Blast #1 Prioritizing Your To Do List Blast #2 Make It a Habit Blast #3 Pop Quiz! Signatures Change the signature on the bottom of your to promote the Great American Health Check. For example Fight cancer in five minutes! The Great American Health Check a five minute online assessment that could save your life. Log on to to get your personalized action plan today. Employers Encourage local businesses in your community to promote the Great American Health Check to their employees. An electronic employer version of this toolkit is available from your staff partner. Fight Back Taking the Great American Health Check and reminding others to do the same is one way to fight back against cancer. Include promotion of the Great American Health Check in your Community Fight Back Plan and work with other volunteers and local businesses to ensure your community knows of the many ways to fight back against cancer. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 2 Inc.

3 Newsletter Inserts Make sure to include information on the Great American Health Check in all newsletters or other communications that go out throughout the year. Ask your online chair to promote the Great American Health Check on your event site. Share this information with others in your community to include in their communications for example, church bulletins, civic and social organization newsletters, etc. Newsletter Insert #1 It s Time for An Oil Change Newsletter Insert #2 New Year s Resolutions Personal Testimonials Personal Testimonial: I did it! Many people have stories about how they made positive lifestyle changes because of a cancer scare or diagnosis. There could be an advocate for the Great American Health Check within your community. Consider featuring these individuals in a newsletter and ask them to speak at a committee meeting or other community event. Postcards Great American Health Check postcards can be handed out at community events. Leave a stack at public computers with internet access at your local library or coffee shop to remind patrons to take the health check. Posters Hang Great American Health Check posters around your community and distribute to local businesses hospitals, clinics, health clubs, coffee shops, library, etc. Quick Tips Start off your meetings with a quick tip or fact. Recipes Recipes are included from a variety of ACS cookbooks. Healthy eating is one way to lower one s risk for cancer. Include healthy food options at your meetings and other events. Distribute these recipes. Support Don t forget to promote the American Cancer Society s website ( and 24-hour, tollfree number ( ) as two great resources for people who would like more information about leading a healthier lifestyle or those who have been touched by cancer. Sample text appears in the following pages. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 3 Inc.

4 Blasts Use these blasts to promote the Great American Health Check. Blast # 1: Subject: Prioritizing Your To-Do List A to-do list from the desk of a busy person like you might resemble the following: 1. Answer s 2. Return phone calls 3. Meeting 10:00 a.m. 4. Meeting 2:00 p.m. 5. Turn in year-end report 6. Finalize PowerPoint presentation 7. Take kids to soccer practice 8. Shop for birthday gift for Billy 9. Relax?? However, one very important thing is missing from this list: getting regular cancer screening tests. Following the recommendations from the American Cancer Society for tests to find cancer early (cancer screening) based on age and gender is one of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of surviving a cancer diagnosis. Regular cancer screening can detect cancers earlier in their development, which can improve the effectiveness of treatment. Screening may also find precancerous changes that can be treated and thus actually prevent a cancer from occurring. Make regular screening a priority put it at the top of your to-do list. For more information about cancer screening, log on to and take the Great American Health Check. This online tool can help you learn about recommended early detection tests based on your age and gender. It can also provide information about health-related behaviors that could help to reduce your cancer risk based on how you answer the questions in the tool. You ll walk away with a personalized action plan designed just for you that you can share with your health care provider. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 4 Inc.

5 Blast #2: Subject: Make It a Habit Taking a shower, washing your hair, brushing your teeth not only are these likely to be some of your daily habits, but they are also healthy habits that will protect you from disease. Scheduling regular appointments for cancer screenings should be a habit as well. Following the recommendations from the American Cancer Society for finding cancer early is the most important thing you can do to increase your chances of surviving a cancer diagnosis. For more information about cancer screening, log on to and take the Great American Health Check. This online assessment tool can help you learn about recommended early detection tests based on your age and gender and learn about health-related behaviors that could help reduce your risk for cancer. You ll walk away with a personalized action plan designed just for you that you can share with your health care provider. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 5 Inc.

6 Blast #3: SUBJECT Pop Quiz! List the American Cancer Society s nutrition and physical activity guidelines along with all cancer screening tests recommended for your age and gender during regular doctor visit(s). How did you do? Were you able to list the nutrition and physical activity guidelines along with one cancer screening test? More than three tests? All of them? If you asked your friends or family members the same question, would they be able to put together a complete list? To determine if you are following the American Cancer Society guidelines for nutrition and physical activity, and to gain a better understanding of what cancer screening tests are recommended for your age and gender during regular doctor visit(s), we encourage you to participate in the Great American Health Check, available at This online assessment tool can help you learn about recommended early detection tests based on your age and gender and health related behaviors that could help reduce your risk for cancer. You ll walk away with a personalized action plan designed just for you that you can share with your health care provider. The American Cancer Society Great American Health 2009, The American Cancer Society, 6 Inc.

7 Newsletter Inserts It s Time for an Oil Change Are you good to your car? Do you change the oil every 3,000 or 4,000 miles? Are you as good to your body? Changing the oil is one of the best ways to prolong the life of a car; your body needs the same kind of basic, yet important, care. Knowing what cancer screening tests are required for your age and gender, getting tested when you should, following a healthy nutrition plan, and participating in physical activity should all be a part of your personal maintenance routine. The American Cancer Society is promoting the importance of cancer early detection by encouraging all Americans to take the Great American Health Check an online assessment tool available at According to the American Cancer Society, cancers that can be detected early, or possibly prevented by regular testing, account for about half of all new cancer cases. Following the American Cancer Society recommendations for cancer screening is the most important thing people can do to increase their chances of surviving a cancer diagnosis. Individuals participating in the Great American Health Check will answer a few simple questions about themselves to learn about recommended early detection tests based on their age and gender and learn about health-related behaviors that could help reduce their cancer risk. Participants can then print out a personalized action plan for further discussion with their health care provider. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 7 Inc.

8 New Year s Resolutions Kick off the New Year right by participating in the American Cancer Society Great American Health Check! The Great American Health Check is an online assessment tool designed to help raise awareness of the importance of cancer early detection. It s fast and easy! Once you log on to you will be prompted to answer questions about your age, gender, height, weight, family history, exercise habits, tobacco use, and eating habits. When you complete the questionnaire, you ll learn about recommended early detection tests based on your age and gender and learn about health-related behaviors that could help reduce your risk for cancer. You ll get a personalized action plan generated just for you. Print the action plan for further discussion with your health care provider and kick start the new year! 2009, The American Cancer Society, 8 Inc.

9 Personal Testimonials: I Did It! Many people have stories about how they changed their lifestyle habits because of a cancer scare or diagnosis. There could be an advocate of the Great American Health Check within your community. Consider featuring these individuals in a newsletter, via an blast, on your event website, etc. Ask the following questions: Name When did you participate in the Great American Health Check? Have you always been an advocate of cancer screenings? If no, did the Health Check help you change your attitude towards the importance of cancer screenings and a healthier lifestyle? Have you always adhered to the American Cancer Society nutrition and physical activity guidelines? 2009, The American Cancer Society, 9 Inc.

10 Quick Tips About half of all new cancer cases can be found early when treatment is more likely to be successful. Regular screening can detect cancers of the breast, colon and rectum, cervix, prostate, oral cavity, and skin at early stages. For most of these cancers, early detection has been proven to improve survival. Cancers related to smoking and heavy use of alcohol could be avoided. One-third of all cancer deaths are related to nutrition, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity and thus could be prevented. Many new skin cancer cases (there are more than one million every year) could be prevented by people protecting themselves from the sun s rays and avoiding indoor tanning. 2009, The American Cancer Society, 10 Inc.

11 Recipes Crab-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes This recipe can be found in The American Cancer Society s Healthy Eating Cookbook. 1 pint cherry tomatoes 1 6-ounce can crab meat 2 green onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely minced 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, finely minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried dillweed Paprika Slice stem end from tomatoes and scoop out pulp. Invert tomatoes and place on a paper towel to drain. Combine crab meat, green onions, bread crumbs, parsley, vinegar, and dillweed in a small bowl and mix well. Spoon mixture into tomatoes. Line a microwave-safe plate with a paper towel and arrange tomatoes. Microwave on high for two to four minutes or until heated through, turning plate several times. Sprinkle with paprika. Servings: 5 Calories from fat per serving: 53 Grams of fat per serving: 1 gram 2009, The American Cancer Society, 11 Inc.

12 Chicken Yucatán This recipe can be found in The American Cancer Society s Healthy Eating Cookbook. 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pineapple juice 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 garlic clove, chopped 4 to 6 dashes hot pepper sauce Salt and pepper to taste 6 skinless bone-in chicken breasts Preheat oven to 375. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except the chicken, add salt and pepper to taste, and puree until smooth. Arrange chicken in an 8-inch by 11-1/2-inch baking dish and brush with half the citrus-herb mixture. Bake chicken in preheated oven, turning once and brushing with the remaining mixture, for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. Servings: 6 Calories per serving: 157 Grams from fat per serving: 4 The American Cancer Society Great American Health Check 2009, The American Cancer Society, 12 Inc.

13 Apple and Cranberry Acorn Squash This recipe can be found in The American Cancer Society s Healthy Eating Cookbook. 4 small acorn squash 2 medium apples, unpeeled, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cranberries 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon corn oil margarine, melted Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash lengthwise into halves and discard seeds. Arrange squash cut side down in a baking dish and add 1/2-inch water. Bake for 40 minutes. Combine apples, cranberries, brown sugar, almonds, orange juice, and margarine in a bowl and mix well. Turn squash cut side up and spoon apple mixture into squash cavities. Bake for 30 minutes. Servings: 8 Calories per serving: 129 Grams from fat per serving: , The American Cancer Society, 13 Inc.

14 No-Bake Bars This recipe can be found in The American Cancer Society s Healthy Eating Cookbook. 1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup low-fat granola 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers In a small pan, heat peanut butter and honey over low heat until creamy. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Add granola, cereal, raisins and graham cracker crumbs and stir together well. Press mixture into an 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish and refrigerate for one hour. Cut into 12 squares. Servings: 12 Calories per serving: 155 Grams from fat per serving: , The American Cancer Society, 14 Inc.