Wilmot Cancer Institute / Wilmot Community Engagement

Community Outreach & Engagement (COE)

Cancer incidence and mortality is higher in the region Wilmot Cancer Institute serves as compared to the rest of New York State and the nation. What’s more, there are drastic and unacceptable cancer disparities by geography, race, and ethnicity among the population of 3 million people in these 27 counties, known as our catchment area.

Our COE team works to reduce the burden of cancer here by guiding efforts and attention where the need is greatest—collaborating with communities to better understand and resolve cancer disparities. And, working together, making a difference by bringing the latest and greatest science has to offer when it comes to the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer to those who need it most.

Have questions? Contact our team at WilmotCOE@urmc.rochester.edu.

Read A Message From Our Associate Director »

COE can assist Wilmot researchers, URMC staff and community members with a variety of cancer-related services, including: community-driven research projects, outreach activities, dissemination of programs, and translations services. Please complete this request form and a member of our team will get back to you shortly.

Our Team

We are a diverse group of professionals, passionate about going beyond observations to work alongside community members to take significant action.

Who We Are

Impact

Our ongoing effort has the potential to positively impact 3 million people, particularly those who are underserved, understudied, and negatively impacted by social factors.

Get Involved

Collaboration

Success in our efforts comes through collaboration, including with our Cancer Community Action Council (CCAC) and various community organizations.

Community Partners

Insights

Real-time data maps help guide our efforts—and can do the same for your community efforts, through our Cancer Visual Analytic System (CANVAS) web-based tool.

Region We Serve

Change

Supporting research that emphasizes disparities and community involvement is one way we facilitate real and lasting change.

Disparities Research

Programs

To see how we can help your community, browse our cancer prevention, screening, and education programs.

Join a Program

Data Maps

Learn More about the Region We Serve »

Spotlight: Can’t Quit Smoking? Maybe You Haven’t Gotten the Right Message

What motivates us the most? Rewards? Threats? Being part of a positive trend? These questions are central to a modern approach to help people kick the habit.

A Wilmot Cancer Institute team is launching a two-year research project to develop different types of text messages for smoking cessation — and then study them in clinical trials to find out what works best.

Plans call for recruiting about 2,600 smokers from a 27-county area that includes Rochester and extends up to Oswego and down to the Southern Tier, said Paula Cupertino, Ph.D., Wilmot’s associate director of Community Outreach & Engagement (COE), who joined the University of Rochester a year ago.

Researchers will pay special attention to the Latino population because it has not been as successful at quitting smoking. Through partnerships with co-investigators, the study goal is to enroll and engage 1,300 Latino people from upstate New York and in California.

Upcoming Events

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Current Research

COE facilitates community-driven, inter-programmatic disparities research. We also offer consultation services-resources to help community groups with the development of their own cancer prevention, screening, and education programs.

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