Fast Fact - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Who We AreHelping Meet the NeedWhen the City of Boston launched a major initiativeagainst cancer several years ago, Dana-Farber was at the centerof this effort to educate residents about the disease and improveaccess to our clinical programs. Today we are still at thecenter. As an integral part of our mission to offer expert, compassionatecare for cancer and related diseases while seekingtomorrow’s cures through research, Dana-Farber is committedto designing public health programs that reduce cancer risk among medicallyunderserved and at-risk communities in Greater Boston and beyond. This focus,embraced and endorsed by our board of trustees and executive leadership, is realizedthrough a range of programs that put us in regular contact with the people whoneed our help most – and can best teach us about the challenges facing them.On the pages that follow, you will get a glimpse of the many ways Dana-Farber isreaching out to, and partnering with, community residents. Our mobile healthvans travel everywhere from community health centers to housing developmentsto beaches offering prevention tips and screenings, as do our physicians and caregiversthrough survivorship clinics. Staff from our Center for Community-BasedResearch work with citizen groups to create smoking cessation, sun safety, andother cancer-reduction programs. Our commitment to training the next generationof doctors, nurses, and scientists as a teaching affiliate of Harvard MedicalSchool extends far beyond that institution through internships and summer jobsthat expose area high school and college students – many of them from at-risk orunderserved communities – to professional opportunities available in health care. Alongwith opening students’ eyes to exciting possibilities, these and other efforts are aimedat increasing the diversity of Dana-Farber’s workforce and patient population.Just as we remain committed to curing cancer, we are focused on making sureDana-Farber is a welcoming environment for everybody facing cancer today.Edward J. Benz Jr., MDPresident, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute