ATLANTA, Sept. 26, 2024
Crucial Catch funds support increasing access to low or no cost cancer screenings in all NFL markets across the country
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ATLANTA, Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Through Crucial Catch, the American Cancer Society and the National Football League (NFL) work together to improve cancer outcomes by educating fans about the importance of cancer screening, early detection and risk reduction, and raising funds for CHANGE grants that help community health centers and health systems in under-resourced areas increase access to cancer screening. Today, the American Cancer Society and the NFL are proud to highlight the 2024 NFL Crucial Catch CHANGE grant recipients. These funded projects are using various resources to increase access to breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening and preventative HPV vaccination in NFL markets.
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This year, following a prostate cancer focused Crucial Catch Live event at Super Bowl LVIII, Crucial Catch is also placing a special emphasis on prostate cancer screening. According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2024 report, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in U.S. men with an estimated 35,250 deaths from prostate cancer expected in 2024. Since 2011, the diagnosis of advanced-stage prostate cancer has increased 4%-5% annually. Too many people lack the access and opportunity for diagnosis at an early stage when prostate cancer has a 99% relative survival rate, and Black men in the U.S. have a 70% higher incidence rate than white men. The American Cancer Society Prostate Cancer Screening IMPACT ECHO initiative is working to address these disparities by better equipping healthcare professionals to share and use prostate cancer screening best practices. The following 12 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Safety-Net primary care facilities are using Crucial Catch funding to increase awareness of prostate cancer risk and early detection in Black/African American populations through real-time, case-based learning. Collectively, these partners serve over 40,000 eligible patients.
"The NFL continues to be a collaborative partner in addressing gaps in cancer screening and encouraging fans to get screened," said Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society. "This support allows us to work on the local level to improve cancer outcomes through tailored services that address barriers unique to under-resourced communities. Using the additional resources the NFL and football fans are providing, we're broadening education and access and ultimately, saving lives."
"Crucial Catch empowers fans to take their health into their own hands by getting screened for cancer and educated on the importance of early detection," said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility. "As a national unifier, the NFL is proud to continue our 15-year partnership with the American Cancer Society and deepen the impact being made through Crucial Catch."
In 2023, the initiative focused on improving breast cancer outcomes with the launch of a two-year Links to Care Community grants pilot. The project created connections between community health centers and NFL team affiliated hospitals in select NFL markets to ensure patients completed recommended screening, follow up care and treatment. The funding has helped partners develop more efficient scheduling procedures; increase appointment availability, alternative screening methods, staff capacity and patient navigation services; reduce screening wait times; improve tracking systems for the completion of screenings; and eliminate the time between screening referral and scheduling by allowing community health centers access to scheduling systems.
Through the sale of Crucial Catch branded merchandise, NFL auction and general fundraising, the NFL has raised a total of $30 million to support the American Cancer Society's work to save lives by encouraging early detection since 2009. The NFL-funded grants are part of a group of nearly 200 projects launched by the American Cancer Society that focus on improving cancer screening and HPV vaccination rates in targeted communities. Crucial Catch games will activate on field during NFL games in Weeks 4-6. These games will feature an array of in-game visuals such as Crucial Catch game balls, goal post wraps and field-wall banners, branded on-field equipment for players, coaches, and officials among other activations to make the initiative come alive in-stadium.
Since 2012, Crucial Catch funding has contributed to over 760,000 screenings and reached more than 1.8 million individuals. Crucial Catch promotes the connection between overall wellness and cancer prevention by providing local cancer screening resources via The Defender presented by Sleep Number. Visit NFL.com/CrucialCatch to find local cancer screening resources and learn how to reduce your risk.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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SOURCE American Cancer Society
