As partners with the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer, Cedars-Sinai has made great strides to reduce the cancer risk for Los Angeles’ most vulnerable and underserved populations. Cedars-Sinai was one of the first health systems to sign on to the American Cancer Society’s 80% by 2018 pledge, a campaign to increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in the United States to 80% by the year 2018.
The goal of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Community Benefit Program is to provide programs and services that increase access to medical care for individuals and families who live in poverty, are uninsured or underinsured, enabling people of all ages to lead healthier lives.
Locally, Cedars-Sinai has held hundreds of community lectures and education events for African American, Korean, Hispanic, and LGBT communities. It has also distributed thousands of free FIT Kits, a noninvasive stool test for colon cancer. Several of Cedars-Sinai’s world-renowned physicians, including Dr. Zuri Murrell, have performed trainings on the latest screenings and treatments for colorectal cancer for the clinicians and primary care providers from Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Cedars-Sinai’s dedication to lowering cancer rates does not stop with colon cancer. Through its COACH For Kids program, a mobile medical unit that provides the highest quality health care services at no-cost, Cedars-Sinai provides the HPV Vaccine to adolescents starting at age 11. The HPV vaccine has been proven to reduce the incidence of eight common cancer types. This intervention will prevent thousands of children in Los Angeles from being diagnosed with cancer as they move into adulthood. Cedars-Sinai’s incredible efforts to reduce preventable cancers are just a piece of its robust community outreach plan. Annually, Cedars Sinai Community Benefit Program provides services and education to over 180,000 members of the Los Angeles Community.
