Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan Developed
(Winter 2005)

A comprehensive, statewide plan to provide education and improve access to health care of Hawai‘i residents diagnosed with cancer was announced by Governor Linda Lingle in October 2004. The Hawai‘i Cancer Plan, dubbed the “No More Cancer Strategic Plan,” has been developed through a collaborative effort by a coalition of government and private health agencies for the state. The coalition, sponsored jointly by the American Cancer Society, the Cancer Research Center of Hawai‘i, and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, brought together approximately 75 leaders from cancer, health care, and community organizations from throughout the state from October 2002 through October 2004. The overall responsibility of the coalition was to develop a strategic plan that included a shared comprehensive cancer control vision for the state and identify corresponding goals, challenges, and strategies.

Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Americans under 85 years of age. In 2003, more than 5,000 Hawai‘i residents were diagnosed with the disease, and about 1,800 died as a result of cancer. However, being diagnosed with cancer is no longer a death sentence. Significant progress made through research and clinical practice has provided health care professionals with a better understanding of cancer and a more extensive battery of treatments to manage the disease and care for those affected. As a result there are more than 9 million cancer survivors today who are living longer and better with their disease than in the past.

Scientific evidence suggests that it may be possible to reduce up to 70 percent of all cancers if individuals would adopt healthy lifestyle habits such as not smoking, eating a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, and maintaining an ideal body weight through physical activity. It is believed that Hawai‘i can change the course of cancer through a coordinated effort of organizations working together in a collaborative statewide approach to control cancer. These eight goals were determined by the coalition to be the top priorities in advancing cancer control in the state:

• Prevent cancer especially through education and behavior change.
• Detect cancer early and provide coordinated services to manage the disease.
• Ensure that the most current and effective treatments are available in Hawaii.
• Achieve the highest quality of life for all individuals affected by cancer.
• Promote research to advance the state’s ability to prevent, detect, and treat cancer.
• Improve and maintain an effective cancer tracking system to determine the impact of cancer in Hawai‘i.
• Provide uniform access to cancer services throughout the state and to all population groups.
• Assure affordable cancer services to all residents

The next step for the coalition is even more challenging—to implement eight “Take Action” strategies that encompass the goals identified by the coalition over the next five years.