Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium Receives C-Change Exemplary Implementation Award

The Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium (PAC3) recently received an Exemplary Implementation Award from C-Change for its efforts to develop and execute the first-ever Pennsylvania Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (PA CCC Plan) throughout Pennsylvania. A nationwide collaborative organization, C-Change is comprised of cancer leaders from government, business and non-profit sectors. C-Change co-chairs, former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, presented the award at the organization’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in October.

“On behalf of the many organizations PAC3 represents, we are honored to be recognized for our collaborative efforts in changing the course of cancer control in Pennsylvania,” said Ronald Herberman, M.D., PAC3 president and director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers. “We look forward to continuing to be seen as leaders working together to meet the growing challenge of cancer control.”

PAC3 received the award for its success in forming partnerships with individuals and public, private and not-for-profit organizations across the state to implement goals and objectives from the PA CCC Plan using evidence-based interventions that can have significant impact on reducing cancer in Pennsylvania.

“Since its creation, PAC3 and its member organizations have worked in concert with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to address cancer in the Commonwealth and to implement recommendations in the Plan,” said secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Dr. Calvin B. Johnson. “It is gratifying to see their efforts recognized with this prestigious award.”

Ronald Myers, Ph.D., chair of the PAC3 board of directors, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Also on the podium were Dr. Herberman; Aaron Bleznak, M.D., PAC3 board member; Kathy Stadler, PAC3 executive director; and Leslie Best, chronic disease director, representing the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

“As both a resident of Pennsylvania and former deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Commonwealth residents should look with pride to the work of PAC3 and the ongoing impact this consortium will have on systematically addressing the full spectrum of cancer care issues,” said Gary L. Gurian, director of C-Change.

With support from the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Division of the American Cancer Society, more than 200 stakeholders joined together to develop the PA CCC Plan, which was released to the public in January 2004. This effort to develop the PA CCC Plan resulted not only in a blueprint for reducing the burden of cancer in the Commonwealth, but also led to the formation of PAC3. Today, PAC3 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is comprised of leaders from the public, private and voluntary sectors working together to reduce the burden of cancer in the Commonwealth.