Cancer Prevention & Early Detection
The Georgia Association of School Nurses, as a partner with the GA Cancer Comprehensive Control Program, has committed it’s resources of School Nurses time, expertise and effort to promote cancer prevention education, to reduce the number of new cancer cases as well as the illness, disability and death caused by cancer, and to increase the number of staff who access screenings according to the appropriate guidelines, and access early treatment interventions.
Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Unfortunately, there are even more excuses for not being screened. GASN is committed to make sure that lack of knowledge is not a viable excuse among Georgia’s educators! Our efforts will target school staff, parents and students.
Tools and resources will be constantly available and updated on this page. Our focus will include the following types of cancers: Lung, Breast, Cervical, Colorectal, Prostate and Skin. We are absolutely committed to the elimination of tobacco use, (as the leading risk factor,) of any kind on any Georgia school property, and at any school-related event.
Our Cancer Task Force will use this site to share the tools, strategies and activities that they identify or develop. Please make sure that you visit and utilize our resources, and we encourage you to share them with your staff for their classroom use, with your churches in their health ministries, and certainly with your family. Only by engaging in this pro-active approach to cancer prevention and early intervention, will we be able to reduce the effects of cancer among our school populations!
If you have completed any cancer or tobacco prevention-related health awareness event or activity, PLEASE complete this form, and follow the instructions at the top to return it to be included in our GA School Nurses report! We want everyone to participate - and every activitiy counts!
Please contact Mitzi Dipaolo at (GASN Exec. Board Liaison) at joanne_giel@gwinnett.k12.ga.us for more information about joining the GASN Cancer Task Force.
Breast Cancer Toolkits
Colorectal Cancer Toolkits
Prostate Cancer Toolkits
Changing Times Changing Outlooks: This is a great video you can download and share with your staff, church group, family and others! Help us reach Georgians and eliminate the racial disparity in the cancer morbidity and mortality rates in Georgia! "Somebody needs to do something - let it start with us; partnering together to make a real difference in our populations' lives!"
Tobacco use is the leading cause of death in every Georgia. GASN members are working together to interrupt the cycle of tobacco use. Please read and adopt our Tobacco Position Statement for your own! Join with our Task Force efforts to reduce tobacco initiation among students, and provide cessation support as needed with in your sphere of influence! Use any and all of the provided resources to join our efforts!
Freshstart - A Tobacco Cessation Program: Attached is the facilitator and participant guides to the American Cancer Society's Freshstart program. The strategies have been well received by smokers who have gone through classes and we hope it will help your smokers who want to quit the habit.
What is Freshstart? The Freshstart program is designed to help participants stop smoking through proven strategies of the quit process. In this facilitator-based program, a company employee is trained on the program content and, in turn, is responsible for promoting and leading employees within the organization through the Freshstart training. (While the American cancer Society provides the program structure and materials, a Society staff employee does not implement the Freshstart program.) Click on the link right below to go directly to the Facilitator's Training and become cerified! You will then be able to further support your family, friends and staff as they decide to become smpke-free! All of the materials you'll need to do the classes are right here at your fingertips to make it easy for you, the School Nurse, to make it happen for the folks in your population!
| American Cancer Society's Fresh Start Facilitatior's Training | SellSheet | Facilitator | Participant |
The probability of smoking cessation success increases with the successful inclusion of multiple complimentary programs. Please note these services for your contacts who are covered by GA State Health Benefit Plan. Make sure that the smokers in your staff are aware of these new policies, and please support their efforts to quit!
2011 Active Employee Tobacco Cessation Policy
2011 Retiree Tobacco Cessation Policy
Additional Tobacco-related fact sheets and resources can be found by clicking on the Tobacco Use Prevention button at the top of this page. Please check out that site regularly! It's always changing, and we want you to be a part of it!
