Joining the I CAN Program is more than movement — it's a commitment to yourself, your friends, your family and your community to fight against the burden of cancer.
From building on your own education and awareness of cancer in your community, to hosting events and volunteering with Roswell Park, no action is too small!
Getting started
Your first step in committing to your I CAN plan is joining an I CAN workshop, hosted by Roswell Park's Community Outreach and Engagement team. This first introduction will help you to think about what is possible for you to do in the fight against cancer.
This creative workshop will help you to discover the power within yourself and the power of community. We'll help you brainstorm, assemble and execute your goal with these simple steps.
IDENTIFY a problem
There is a lot of ground to cover when addressing the rising issue of cancer in our area. Western New York has a rich community that is affected by cancer in all different ways.
What is the most important to you? How do you feel you can make a difference?
Gather your COMMUNITY
Who can help you make this goal a reality? Is it sitting around your dinner table with your family, talking about your family's health history? Is it your colleagues, your community group, or the very people you met at an I CAN workshop, that can help you build this plan?
Who do you know? What connections do you have?
Brainstorm an ACTION plan
Think of an action you can take that will influence people in your network to make a change — remember your audience and focus! Do you want to encourage smokers you know to quit? Do you know women who haven't had a mammogram?
What are the first steps you can take?
NEXT steps
You have your mission, your network of people around you and action items — time to combine them all and put your plan into action! Where can you host an event? What organization can you volunteer with?
Who around you can best help you achieve your goal?
I Can, I Did!
Women's Ministry Leader, Brenda Favor, wanted women in her church and community to understand the importance of participating in research.
She brought the I CAN program to the Friendship Baptist Church Women's Ministry meeting in October, leading the group's I CAN Plan for the women to participate in a research study that aims to better understand health conditions, like cancer, and how to improve overall health.
What happens at an I CAN workshop?
All you need is 45 minutes, an open mind and confidence in your ability to make your I CAN Plan a reality!
Our workshops are available to you two ways: by signing up to attend our general workshop, or have I CAN come to you! Is your church group or community center looking for a way to get the message of cancer prevention out there? We can help!
These workshops are specifically tailored to you — we will work with you beforehand to hear about your goals and plans. After going over general cancer awareness and the work Roswell Park is doing in your community, we'll turn it over to you! Where can you put your efforts? Who is in your network? What changes do you want to see?
We will keep in touch with you after this first workshop to see how you're doing and help create a plan moving forward. We can help connect you with Roswell Park departments and experts in your chosen I CAN Plan and other community members within I CAN that may have common interests!
Roswell Park is committed to eradicating the cancer burden — we just need you!