The Year in Review: Driving Impact Through Community Outreach and Engagement

As we reflect on the past year, Mayo Clinic's Community Outreach and Engagement in Research Services (COERS) has made remarkable strides in fostering partnerships, delivering impactful community programs, and advancing health equity. By addressing health disparities, building strong connections, and promoting health  awareness, COERS continues to strengthen communities and pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future.

Here’s a look back at the key milestones of 2024:

Florida

• 1,140 community members enrolled in the registry
  • 41 matched and enrolled in studies
• 500+ Wellness Rx program participants
• 44,000+ pounds of food distributed with wellness education
• 130+ community members participated and trained in healthy living and cancer prevention

Expanding Reach Through Media Partnerships: The media project amplified COE's voice, engaging nearly 4 million community members through collaborations with Jacksonville Free Press, Norsan Media, and Hot 106.5. Together with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, the team delivered engaging content on topics like cancer screening, clinical trials, and survivorship, thus increasing conversations and boosting social media engagement.

Impactful Evidence-Based Programs: Florida's COE team completed three successful evidence-based initiatives across urban and rural Florida, reaching hundreds of participants:

1. Body and Soul (Duval County):

• Participants: 49 community members
• Focus: Cancer risk reduction through healthy eating and physical activity
• Impact: Participants reported increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and enhanced physical activity levels.

2. Pool Cool (Putnam County):

• Participants: 82 camp attendees and staff
• Focus: Sun safety and skin cancer prevention
• Impact: Increased sunscreen usage and improved awareness of UV ray risks.

3. Wellness Rx (Duval, Putnam, and Baker Counties):

• Participants: 524 community members
• Focus: Health education paired with food distribution
• Impact: Over 48,000 pounds of food distributed to over 600 families, alongside cancer prevention education.

Community Health Conversations: COE collaborated with Florida Blue Retail Centers to provide community health sessions with medical experts on cancer research, screenings, and survivor stories. These sessions will continue into 2025, fostering ongoing community connection and education.

Strengthening Corporate Partnerships: In November, COE launched listening sessions with Walmart employees to assess health needs and promote awareness of cancer screenings and resources.

Cancer Advocacy Training: 46 community members completed the cancer advocacy training, learning about cancer disparities and advocacy for equitable policy change. Advocates collaborated with Mayo Clinic staff to co-develop cancer education programs, shape research designs, and drive evidence-based initiatives in local communities.

Wellness Education: Over 130 community members participated in wellness programs promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and sun safety.

Minnesota

Friend to Friend Cancer Prevention Series: Over 100 women participated in this evidence-based initiative focused on cancer risk reduction. The series continues to be a transformative program for women across communities–in collaboration with Pamoja Women, the initiative provides follow-up support for cancer screenings, addressing barriers such as knowledge, language, and access to healthcare.

Pool Cool: The program, in partnership with Rochester Parks and Recreation and Rochester Swim Club, focused on increasing sun safety habits at public pools to reduce the risk of melanoma. By placing sunscreen dispensers at several public pools, and hosting sun-safe events, the program engaged over 600 community members in discussions about skin protection.

P30 Communication Campaign: The P30 campaign made significant strides in 2024 in reaching Hispanic and rural communities across the Midwest, raising awareness about prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. Nine community advocates underwent comprehensive training and helped create tailored materials such as rural cancer health blogs, nutrition brochures, and informational flyers. The P30 campaign also brought the COE team to several community events, including the Dodge County Fair, Hogfest, and Farm Tech Days.

Farm Fest and The Village Community Garden: The Farm Fest celebration at The Village Community Garden was a highlight of the year, bringing together migrant communities to promote healthy living through gardening. Our partnership with The Village helps provide access to culturally appropriate foods, while we continue educating community members on adopting healthier lifestyles.

The Seed Library–Growing Healthier Futures: A standout initiative this year was the Seed Library program in partnership with the Rochester Public Library. We distributed over 10,000 seed packets and educated 230 attendees about the health benefits of these foods, empowering individuals to grow their own healthy produce.

Cancer Conversations: The Cancer Conversations initiative continues to offer valuable education on prevalent cancers and prevention strategies. In 2024, we held impactful conversations on liver and prostate cancers, as well as topics related to cancer prevention, cancer research, screening, and risk reduction.

Powwow for Hope–Honoring Indigenous Communities: Mayo Clinic has been a longtime sponsor of Powwow for Hope–an important event for the American Indian community, providing a space for healing and honoring those affected by cancer. The Midwest team shared information about Community Engagement Studios and the Indigenous Health Topic series with nearly 600 attendees.

Expanding Community Partnership & Building a Stronger Research Network: Throughout 2024, the COE team focused on strengthening partnerships with local nonprofits, including ACHLA, Sports Mentorship Academy, Community Engagement Response Team (CERT), and Redeem Christian Church of God, to enhance recruitment efforts for the Community Research Registry. Over 150 individuals joined the registry, connecting underserved communities to research opportunities.

Arizona

Addressing Tobacco Use in American Indian Communities: 2024 marked the launch of Arizona's Tobacco Cessation Evidence-Based Intervention (EBI) in partnership with the Phoenix Indian Center and The University of Arizona. This initiative focuses on addressing tobacco use within American Indian communities.

Accomplishments:

• Trained and certified 13 community members as tobacco cessation specialists.
• Equipped participants with tools to promote healthier lifestyles.

Looking Ahead: The program aims to certify another 80–100 specialists in 2025.

Body and Soul Program–Transforming Lives in Maricopa County: The program empowered more than 96 participants to embrace healthier lifestyles by focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and mental wellness.

Outcomes: Participants reported increased fruit and vegetable intake and a renewed commitment to fitness.

Empowering Breast Cancer Survivors: The Breast Cancer Education Intervention (BCEI) Program provided breast cancer survivors with essential resources to improve their post-treatment journey. Survivors received comprehensive survivorship care plans addressing physical, emotional, and lifestyle needs.

Impact: Improved psychological well-being, healthier habits, and overall quality of life.

Vida Saludable–Supporting the Hispanic Community: Modeled after the Body and Soul program, Vida Saludable was reimagined to be culturally relevant and delivered entirely in Spanish. Focus areas include nutritious diets, exercise, and mental wellness.

Outcomes: Participants embraced healthier lifestyles by increasing fruit and vegetable intake and incorporating physical activity.

My Brother’s Keeper–A Conference on Men’s Health: In April, Arizona hosted the conference, focusing on the intersection of mental health and cancer. More than 150 Black, Hispanic, and Native American men attended sessions which included cancer prevention, mental wellness, and culturally relevant health resources.

Virtual Cancer Education Workshops: In collaboration with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) and Unlimited Potential, Arizona hosted bilingual virtual workshops addressing key health concerns like uterine and colorectal cancer, menopause, iron deficiency, and more.

Impact: Empowered participants to navigate health barriers such as language and lack of insurance.

 

Research Highlights

Community Mini Grants

In 2024, Community Outreach and Engagement in Research proudly supported six impactful cancer prevention, screening, and survivorship projects through its Community Mini Grants program. These initiatives have played a critical role in advancing cancer awareness, improving access to care, and fostering survivorship support in underserved communities.

Here’s a look at the highlights and key outcomes of this year’s projects:

Empowerment Through Education: The mini-grants empowered community members to make informed health decisions by providing vital education and resources.

Impact: Participants gained knowledge to take proactive steps in their health journeys.

Participant Feedback: "This program taught us that we are not alone in our health journeys."

Advancing Health Equity: Through tailored strategies that addressed language barriers, accessibility challenges, and cultural relevance, the projects brought equitable healthcare closer to reality for diverse populations.

Quote from HACER Leadership: "This program has brought us closer to understanding and overcoming the health disparities we face."

Building a Healthier Future: The programs have fostered healthier habits and awareness that are expected to positively influence community health for years to come.

Impact: Participants are adopting cancer-preventive behaviors, which may reduce cancer incidence and enhance survivorship outcomes over time.

Feedback from The Way Free Medical Clinic: "With every person we reach, we are building a healthier, more informed community."

Sustainability and Expansion Plans: Each project emphasized steps to ensure long-term impact and outlined plans for expanding their reach in the coming years. The program leaders also offered valuable suggestions for enhancing future mini-grants, reinforcing the importance of continuous improvement.

The Power of Community Collaboration: Community Mini Grants demonstrated the transformative power of community-driven solutions in addressing cancer disparities. The positive feedback from participants and project leaders highlights the essential role of sustained funding in amplifying these efforts.

Looking Ahead

As we close the chapter on an incredible year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, advocates, stakeholders, and the communities we serve.

Moving ahead, we aim to deepen partnerships, enhance program accessibility, increase cancer awareness and prevention, and survivorship support. COERS remains committed to continued investment in programs and partnerships that will further empower our communities towards building a healthier, more equitable future for all.