MADISON, Wis. – This week, the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative is formally unveiling the Wisconsin Cancer Plan 2020-2030, which lays out the blueprint to create a healthier Wisconsin by reducing the burden of cancer for everyone.
The Wisconsin Cancer Plan will be debuted at the 2020 Wisconsin Cancer Summit which takes place virtually on October 28 and 29. Dr. Lisa Richardson, MD, MPH, director of the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, will give the keynote about leading through uncertainty on October 28.
This is the fourth iteration of our state’s cancer plan. Previously, the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative released 5-year plans. The new 10-year plan will allow the Collaborative to create an ambitious, longer-term strategy for the state to address cancer. The latest version of the plan begins with healthy equity, to place new emphasis on its importance when reducing the burden of cancer.
“In Wisconsin today, some populations are more likely to develop cancer and die from cancer,” said Noelle LoConte, MD, oncologist at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. “Social, economic and environmental factors contribute to these health inequities and with this plan we hope to increase the number of Wisconsinites who have access to the quality care and opportunities they need to have a long and healthy life.”
The Wisconsin Cancer Plan outlines how the state can improve activities across the entire cancer care continuum, including risk reduction, early detection and screening, treatment, survivorship and end of life. It enables experts to educate policy makers on proven policies to reduce the burden of cancer, including increased access to affordable health care and coverage. It also gives health experts guidance for the top priorities and information to share with patients and peers when it comes to reducing the risk of cancer and treating it. The success of the Wisconsin Cancer Plan depends on people and organizations from multiple sectors coming together to align on the vision and take action.
The Collaborative has 140 member organizations that both feed into the plan and use it to create and inform change in their own organization and community.
To understand the full burden and impact of cancer in Wisconsin, it is vital to collect reliable, quality data. This plan aims to improve Wisconsin-specific cancer-related data sources and monitor that data for emerging cancer issues that might require adjustments to the plan. This data will be monitored on an ongoing basis, allowing the Collaborative to reassess every other year on the success and nature of the plan.
The Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative is funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and the University of Wisconsin. Our staff works out of the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, and our member organizations represent almost every county in Wisconsin.
