Augusta church part of cancer prevention efforts

It just seems natural to the Rev. William Blount at Greater Young Zion Baptist Church that they be involved in cancer prevention and medical outreach.

"If we can't take care of our bodies, we can't take care of the Lord's business," he said.

On Monday, the church received a sign from Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University declaring that tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and snuffs or dips, are not welcome on its campus. The church is one of 15 that are working with the cancer center on things like cancer prevention and helping them avoid products like tobacco that can raise their risk. That kind of education is vital and much-needed, Blount said.

"Particularly in the minority community, there has to be more," he said.

There is a benefit to the cancer center as well, said Dr. Martha Tingen, principal investigator for the Cancer Community  Awareness Access Research & Education program at the center. The center has long pursued becoming a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and in order to get that it must show a well-developed research program as well as community outreach that focuses on prevention, early detection and population health.

The center wants its program to focus on reducing health disparities so having the churches in its program helps "tremendously,' she said.

The church campus off Sand Bar Ferry Road has actually been smoke-free for a while and most people have been fine with it, although sometimes it is necessary to remind visitors they can't just step outside to smoke, Blount said. Churches should serve as the platform for health education as well, and his church has had a medical ministry for at least 30 years and many of those in it are medical professionals, he said. They can talk to the congregation about things like cancer and kidney disease and also things that can help seniors maintain their health, Blount said.

But cancer is hard on everyone and difficult for the church as well, Blount said.

"I have people in my family who are cancer survivors," he said. "We've lost people to cancer, too."

The Georgia Cancer Center's Cancer Community Awareness Access Research and Education (c-CARE) is a community outreach program that seeks to reduce the impact of cancer on minority and underserved people in Georgia.

Community outreach