Community Partnership Grant: Elevated Survivorship
Building capacity for African American breast cancer survivors in cancer research
Background
Disparities in mortality persist for African American women with breast cancer, despite significant advances in cancer treatment and research over the past several decades. One notable occurrence is the lack of representation of African American breast cancer survivors in the development of cancer–related research and policy. Elevated Survivorship (ES), a national 501c3 nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to and in service of African American breast cancer survivors and metavivors, was created to challenge this issue. ES’s mission is to provide a platform for African American breast cancer survivors to use their voices to drive health system change globally, and they aim to include informed African American voices in policy, research and advocacy at all levels across the cancer continuum, which will create a more equitable healthcare system and change the narrative on breast cancer mortality.
Partnership Activities
Elevated Survivorship and C.H.A.T. Lab will work over the next 6 months to build and optimize a continuum model for patient advocacy. The team will focus on skill building to increase effectiveness of the patient advocate in research spaces. Examples of ideas that will be cultivated and operationalized during this partnership grant include:
- Education modules for patient advocates
- Skill building for participation in community advisory boards
- Development of a continuum model for patient advocacy
OCECHE Mini Grant
Elevated Survivorship and C.H.A.T. Lab received a mini grant from the Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity to develop strategies to build capacity for African American breast cancer survivors to engage in research and advocacy.
