Cancer Outreach Across Communities: Taking Research on The Road

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) has been hard at work fostering partnerships, raising awareness, and increasing access to research opportunities across Mayo Clinic. As we kick off 2026, here’s a look at recent initiatives making a difference in our communities.

Mobile Research Unit on the Move

In December, a new Mobile Research Unit (MRU) opened in Florida. The MRU is equipped to conduct health screenings, provide education, collect samples, and connect individuals to important health programs. To further expand access to research and health resources, COE collaborated with Order of the Eastern Stars (OES) and Agape Family Health in Duval County to host open house events for the MRU.

Notably, the Cancer Conversation event with OES drew 64 attendees and featured an engaging panel including cancer survivor Carol Kimbrough, Valandrea M. Merilan, M.D., an internal medicine resident at Mayo Clinic, and Aneesah P. Garrett, M.D., a physician at Mayo Clinic. After the workshop, participants were invited to the OES Fall Festival where they toured the MRU and learned about opportunities to join the Community Research Registry (CoRR), a database that helps connects understudied communities to relevant research opportunities.

Strengthening Community Ties

In Arizona, we deepened our collaboration with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) by participating in the fall festival at Most Holy Trinity. We hosted an informational table, offering culturally relevant health education and sharing medical resources with attendees. We also promoted the CoRR and engaged in meaningful conversations about the importance of research participation.

We also hosted our first Community Clinical Trial Champions event in Arizona. The event was designed to increase awareness about the significance of broad representation in clinical research. Conducted entirely in Spanish, the event featured Mayo Clinic medical experts, researchers, and community members sharing personal testimonials. The open dialogue fostered trust, addressed representation, and improved understanding of access to research. Attendees were able to ask questions directly to experts and learn how research impacts their own communities, reinforcing Mayo Clinic’s commitment to inclusive, community-driven research. 

Additionally, we helped raise awareness around colon cancer prevention, early detection, and the importance of health equity at Walk to End Colon Cancer in Phoenix. Team members spoke with attendees about colorectal cancer screening and the benefits of research participation for underrepresented groups, while also promoting the community research registry.

Through strategic partnerships, culturally relevant programming, and innovative outreach like the Mobile Research Unit, we’re making significant strides in the communities we serve.

Get Involved

At Mayo Clinic, better research begins with you. When your voice and lived experience are part of the research process, studies become more powerful, more meaningful, and more connected to real-life needs. Click here to discover opportunities to shape the future of health research.