Coaches vs. Cancer’s Impact Bigger Than Ever

Health equity focus brings even greater significance to powerful program

The takeaway was clear: Coaches vs. Cancer is more important now than ever. In addition to the impact it already has on the fight against cancer, it’s uniquely positioned to address disparities facing multicultural communities when it comes to cancer prevention, detection, treatment and survival.

Craig Robinson took over as executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). This was during the middle of 2020 with the nation facing the COVID-19 pandemic and being challenged to address social injustices — both shining a spotlight directly on health equity.

Robinson and other leaders of Coaches vs. Cancer see the opportunity the partnership between the NABC and American Cancer Society (ACS) has to be a leader in addressing health equity. And, with 80 percent of players coming from areas impacted by disparities, it’s more than an opportunity — it’s a responsibility.

“We know it will take all of us working together to make sure no one is disadvantaged,” said Robinson during a virtual session entitled “Advancing Health Equity Through a Cancer Lens.” “The fight against cancer is important. We need the next wave of coaches to be as philanthropic as the old guard.”

Robinson was joined by Coaches vs. Cancer Council Chairman Lon Kruger, ACS’ Director of Health Equity and Stakeholder Engagement Ashley Brown, ACS Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Tawana Thomas-Johnson and former ACS CEO Gary Reedy as speakers. The session was designed to provide the over 100 attendees with knowledge and tools to be a community leader and play an active role in leading conversations and taking meaningful action to address cancer disparities.

Brown and Thomas-Johnson discussed details of the disparities and what ACS and its partners are doing to reduce the disparities, which is an overarching goal of the organization.

• Cancer mortality in Black men is twice that in Asians and Pacific Islanders, who have the lowest rates.

• Prostate cancer death rates in Black people are more than double those of every other racial/ethnic group.

• Black women are 40 percent more likely to die of breast cancer than white women overall and are twice as likely to die if they are over 50.

Eighty percent of what influences a person’s health are non-medical issues (e.g., food, transportation and the financial means to pay for medications, utilities and other services). “We cannot achieve health equity or any other equity if we are unwilling to change behavior and systems that perpetuate inequity,” ThomasJohnson said. “To be effective, we must understand there is an element of fear and mistrust in these communities.”

Thomas-Johnson shared success stories working with such organizations as The Links, Incorporated to deliver cancer prevention and early detection in at-risk communities. The Links, Incorporated is one of the nation’s largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

“We work directly with communities,” Brown said. “They tell us how we can best support them.”

Attendees were reminded a starting point is often a simple one: Educating those not familiar or trusting of screening that early detection will saves lives.

“If people aren’t catching cancer early, there are more deaths later,” Brown said.

Where a person lives should not determine how long you live. Beating cancer is a team sport, and this world needs coaches using their platforms now more than ever.