Cancer does not discriminate.  It touches and impacts people across Nebraska.  Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Nebraska.  It touches men, women, and children in rural, urban, and suburban neighborhoods.  It wreaks havoc in the lives it touches, in families and in communities. Cancer deepens already existing disparities in access to cancer screenings and treatment.  It is a disease that needs a neutral voice to coordinate efforts across our state to reduce its impact and to improve lives touched by cancer.  Nebraska Cancer Coalition is that voice. 

We are committed to providing an environment for conversations and work to be done from a variety of perspectives, voices and partners with the goal being to achieve our mission and vision.

VISION:  Conquering Cancer Together

MISSION:  Connecting people and resources to strengthen cancer prevention, detection and

quality of life in Nebraska.

OUR PROGRAMS:

• Outreach – Networking, collaborations, access to experts, providers, and systems, to enhance relationships and the impact of the work being done across Nebraska
  
• Action Areas – Targeted assistance on cancer issues of greatest need statewide (urban & rural):
  

§  Colorectal Cancer

§  HPV Vaccination

§  Screening Disparities

§  Lung Cancer

§  Breast & Cervical Cancer

• Survivorship – Addressing the needs of the growing numbers of Nebraskans who are cancer survivors
• Education – Provide in-person and virtual education activities for members
• Advocacy – Analysis and education of policy issues related to cancer

OUR HISTORY:

NC2 is a statewide 501c3 nonprofit agency with a 20-year history of working collaboratively with partners in the cancer arena across Nebraska.  We began as an extension of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) after the award of a Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) to fund Nebraska to develop a Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP). Overtime, a partnership evolved first into a statewide organization known as Nebraska C.A.R.E.S. (Cancer Awareness, Research, Education and Service) administrated by DHHS.  From this partnership NC2 was created. 

CORE OBJECTIVES:

• Strengthen and expand the network of cancer stakeholders across Nebraska
• Enhance and increase screening and early detection of cancer for Nebraskans with a special focus on colorectal, prostate, skin, HPV, breast, lung, and leukemia cancer
• Establish, promote, and strengthen collaborative relationships in both clinical and community-based approaches to cancer survivorship
• Educate and support efforts for quality diagnosis and treatment of cancer including clinical cancer research
• Assist in reducing and eliminating barriers and disparities to access cancer prevention and care especially considering the impact COVID-19 has had on screenings

THE NEED:

1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). ACS is estimating that 11,280 Nebraskans will be diagnosed this year and approximately 3,550 will lose their fight in 2022. 

COVID-19 put elective medical procedures including many cancer screenings on hold in 2020. Individuals did not have annual mammograms and Pap tests to screen for breast and cervical cancer.  Colonoscopy and body skin checks were forgone, and other screening tools were not completed.  The impact of the lack of screening during the pandemic is unknown but trends in 2022 are beginning to show that patients are presenting with more advanced stage cancer diagnosed in the first three months of this year. 

HOW WE ARE FUNDED:

Early in our history, much of our financial support came from the State of Nebraska Comprehensive Cancer Control Program’s CDC funding but over time our funding sources have changed.

This funding has helped us achieve our mission and vision but now we need to expand our financial stakeholders.

Since our founding, NC2 has helped thousands of Nebraskans access cancer screenings, has reached around 25% of Nebraskans through prevention education campaigns and worked with over 200 public and private organizations to coordinate energy in our state in the cancer space. 

But we know that this is not enough.  We have more work in front of us and need your support to build our impact and to reach more Nebraskans.  We know we can do more.