Cancer News

Educating African Americans about Cancer- prevention, treatment, coping!

Teresa Janes is the News Specialist for the Memphis, TN area. She also is a long time volunteer/facilitator for the American Cancer Society's Look Good Feel Better Program. Ms. Janes is a Licensed Aesthetician/Makeup Artist and holds a BBA from Austin Peay State University. Ms. Janes continues to work in the business, marketing, beauty, & fashion industries in various roles. Her roles have included Program Manager, Team Leader, Model, Spokesmodel, Brand Ambassador, Market Coordinator, Office Manager, Administrative Assistant and more. She can be reached by emailing relaxingminds4cancernews@gmail.com.

If you have a story you would like to tell or information you would like to share, please feel free to make contact. The first few stories will be about obesity, HPV/Cervical Cancer & the new findings about mammographies.

What is Ozioma?

The Ozioma News Service is a national cancer information news service launched in December, 2005. It was created and is operated by the Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research at Washington University in St. Louis, in collaboration with the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. It is different from other news services in three important ways:

(1) Its focus is exclusively on cancer;
(2) Its target audience is Black newspapers;
(3) Every news release is customized for the community to which it is sent.

Ozioma news releases are based on new cancer science and timely cancer topics. The word Ozioma is an Igbo/Nigerian word meaning “good news,” which reflects the philosophy of our news service. Rather than focus on cancer disparities that would repeatedly show that African Americans are doing worse than other Americans, Ozioma releases emphasize progress and opportunity. Prevention and screening are key elements of most stories, and all aim to provide accurate and useful information to the community.

How ACS is helping

ACS will be a key player in helping us to make our news releases even more local and connected to the community by providing local information for each release. An ACS News Specialist in each of 12 communities will interview local people who may be affected by the subject of each news release. These could be cancer patients, cancer survivors, family members, support groups, doctors, community leaders, local experts, or others.

The News Specialists

News Specialists are people in each local community who are identified by the ACS and Ozioma. They can be full or part-time ACS employees, students, or volunteers. For each story, the News Specialist will conduct short interviews with local people to include cancer patients, cancer survivors, family members, support groups, doctors, community leaders, local experts, or others. They will also obtain one local fact and a list of local resources. The news releases will be written, edited and delivered to newspapers by Ozioma staff in St. Louis.

Look Good. . .Feel Better offers a free program that helps improve the self-image, appearance, and quality of life of people undergoing cancer treatment by teaching beauty techniques to help them cope with the appearance related consequences of cancer treatment and restore their appearance and self-confidence through active learning in group, one-on-one, or self help situations.

Group Programs
Each two-hour, hands-on workshop includes a 12-step skin care/make-up application lesson, demonstration of options for dealing with hair loss, and nail care techniques. Held at comprehensive care clinics, hospitals, ACS offices, and community centers, local group programs are organized by the American Cancer Society, facilitated by LGFB-certified cosmetologists & aestheticians, and aided by general volunteers. Patients in various stages of treatment receive make-over tips and personal attention from professionals trained to meet their needs. They also use and take home complimentary cosmetic kits in their appropriate skin tones (light, medium, dark, extra dark) with helpful instruction booklets. Professional advice is provided on wigs, scarves and accessories. (Teen sessions also include social and health tips.) More than 50,000 individuals participate each year in small groups of five to ten, offering each patient a supportive circle, as well. Group programs represent the highest level of expertise available (the “gold standard”) in LGFB services. You can participate by contacting your local ACS office. Contact the Memphis Office by dialing (901) 278-2000.

Other Services
One-on-One’s
Trained cosmetologists provide personal advice in salons using patients’ own make-up, as well as a free make-over tips booklet. (Please note: Free skin care/make-up kits are not distributed at one-on-one sessions.)

Self-Help Kits
“Just for You” self-help kits in English or Spanish with 30-minute video and make-over tips booklet are offered free to patients who cannot locally access LGFB. Please call 1-800-395-LOOK to request a kit.

Hotline
LGFB’s toll-free information and referral line — 1-800-395-LOOK — is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our trained specialists speak English and Spanish — and translators are available for many other languages. Patients can contact their local ACS office for more information.

Sponsors
Personal Care Products Council Foundation
The Personal Care Products Council Foundation is a charitable organization of the Personal Care Products Council, the national representative of the personal care products industry, which provides services to support the industry's interests. The Personal Care Products Council Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization which supports the Look Good...Feel Better program. The Foundation provides the program oversight, makeup, materials, and financial support to implement LGFB's many services.

American Cancer Society (ACS)
ACS is a nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. ACS administers LGFB nationwide, manages volunteer training, and serves as the primary source of information to the public.

National Cosmetology Association (NCA)
The National Cosmetology Association, a national organization of more than 25,000 cosmetologists, wig experts, estheticians, makeup artists and nail technicians dedicated to education, growth and professionalism in the salon industry. NCA encourages LGFB participation among beauty professionals and recruits its members to volunteer with the program.

Donors Each year, Personal Care Products Council-member cosmetics companies donate over one million individual products — valued at $10 million — and raise more than $2 million for LGFB. Please click here to see a list of our generous companies.

* Avon Products, Inc., is also sole corporate sponsor of the “2bMe” Web site and “Just For You” self-help kits

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