Elevance Health Foundation: Improving Health Equity in Cancer Care
For nearly 20 years, Elevance Health and its Foundation have partnered with the American Cancer Society (ACS) in a multitude of ways. From employee fundraising, volunteerism, and leadership engagement to the co-creation of educational resources for Elevance Health members and the community at large, these two organizations are continually finding innovative ways to come together to improve the health of those who need us most.
Backed by a $1 million grant, our most recent collaboration will work to break down health disparities and increase health equity in the most vulnerable communities in an effort to increase awareness of breast and colon cancer screening. The programming is anticipated to reach up to 10,000 people.
The risk factors for Black Americans impacted by breast and colon cancer is alarming, and the work to improve early detection must include a focus on eliminating health barriers if we are going to challenge the status quo. The Elevance Health Foundation's collaboration with the American Cancer Society and their partnership with The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated is one more way we are working to foster an open dialogue in our at-risk communities and help to provide residents with access to tools and health care resources dedicated to early cancer screenings that will help further our goal to eliminate health disparities.
To help initiate and promote conversations and group informational sessions within communities, the American Cancer Society has engaged The Links Foundation, Incorporated to train approximately 500 ACS/Links Health Ambassadors who will play a critical role in providing local resources to individuals and encourage them to seek care at community medical homes.
"We are honored by the grant from the Elevance Health Foundation and to have the opportunity to work with The Links. The Links are trusted messengers across the country with a commitment to community service and advancing public health," said Tawana Thomas-Johnson, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for the American Cancer Society. "This partnership will help us continue the critical work of addressing cancer disparities and advancing health equity in at-risk communities."
Over the years, ACS and Elevance Health have also partnered in other ways, including state-level roundtables, executive participation in CEO’s Against Cancer Chapters, Cancer Prevention Study-3 enrollment, and more.
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