Centinnela

Project

USC/Norris Cancer Comprehensive Center

Recognizing the fact that, "While neither race nor poverty is an absolute indicator of survival, each is a surrogate of predictable conditions and circumstances' That it reflects how poverty affects one's:

1.) inadequate physical and social environment

2.) inadequate information and knowledge

3.) risk-promoting lifestyle and behavior

4.) and diminished access to care

Harold Freeman, J., M.D.

Former President of The American Cancer Society

Into The Community

Integrate LA County Tumor Registry (Contracted to the USC Cancer Center) by Census Tract and Zip Codes for South Central Los Angeles to better target in trauma and extramural resources in that area.

Identification of local schools, libraries, and church-based Internet infrastructure currently available in South Central Los Angeles that could access information on our website, http://www.uscnorrris.com/, including web casting.

Invite the Greater Los Angeles Ministerial Alliance (a consortium of church ministers), civic groups, and community volunteers to tour the facilities at USC/Norris and LAC+USC so they can get evaluate the resources available. Apply for matching grant funding through the RWJ Foundation by Fall 2000.

Develop all educational materials with input from the community Repeat the Community Needs Assessments after the First Year by getting feedback from the South Central Los Angeles Community of how well we have or have not done (further interviews, community town hall meetings, surveys).

Specific Aims

To determine the medical needs of the population living in South Central Los Angeles, from the communities perspective

To provide an educational curriculum on cancer and on HIV/AIDS for the underserved population in South Central Los Angeles

To provide a mechanism within the South Central Los Angeles community for cancer and HIV/AIDS screening

To provide access for minority and underserved populations to clinical care and to specific cancer clinical trials at the USC Norris Cancer Center.

Our purpose is to assess the needs of the community and provide appropriate health promotional services, by education, screening and translation research to the persons that live within Centinnela Area 1 population. There has been an effective partnership established by USC/Norris Cancer Center, National Black Leadership on Cancer: Project II (NBLIC), the Positive Imagery Foundation and local chapter of he American Cancer Society, South Central Unit ASC.

Priority Area I

The USC/Centinela Project provides Outpatient Transportation Services for the following cancers being screened or patients treated for the following cancers at USC/Norris and LAC+USC Medical: breast, prostate, lung, GI malignancies, cervix, uterine, bladder and head/neck cancers.

Transportation during Project by calling these numbers which are still in effect today:

1-800-USC-CARE

1-800-872-2273

Zip Codes Covered:

90003 90301 90008 90062 90043 90302 90011 90089

90044 90303 90016 90047 90304 90018 90250 90305 90037

This project is supported by a Generous Grant from The California Endowment (calendow.org) and administered by the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (uscnorris.com)

Phase 1/11: Educational Component

What do we wish to accomplish, is to Learn from the citizens of the South Central Los Angeles Community what materials would be useful and "user friendly" to meet the Specific Aims of the Project. Using these materials, we will educate agency directors, church leaders, small business owners, fraternities, sororities, senior center directors, and community volunteers in South Central Los Angeles about cancer/HIV/AIDS screening, early diagnosis, clinical trials, and access to care.

Centinnela Team Assembled for the Initial Phases of the Project

• Oscar E Streeter, Jr, MD, P.I.

• Alexandra M Levine, MD

• Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD

• Peter Jones, PhD

•Bill Watson

• Yochanan Israel

• Ronald Beavers, PhD

• Phil Wilson