Los Angeles-based USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is creating cancer wellness hubs throughout the city with the goal of reducing health disparities and improving outcomes.
Conversations with cancer healthcare providers, educational workshops, cancer support groups and survivorship toolkits are among the services that will be offered at the wellness hubs, according to a May 24 announcement.
Co-leading the initiative are Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, associate director for community outreach and engagement at USC Norris, and Marya Shegog, PhD, health equity and diversity coordinator at the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, which provided the cancer center a $200,000 grant to kickstart the initiative.
"The wellness community hubs will bring vital information about clinical trials and cancer support services directly to communities most impacted by cancer," said Dr. Baezconde-Garbanati. "Resources will be available in their own neighborhood without having to go far to get information or be connected to what they need."
The cancer center will leverage local churches, schools, health clinics and other community facilities to serve as pop-up locations for the wellness hubs.