2012 Grant Awardees

The Maine Cancer Consortium announced its first-ever Cancer Plan Implementation Grant awardees on January 31, 2012.

Applications were offered in December for individual grants of up to $5,000 each for four to six organizations in Maine, whose proposed projects support the goals and objectives of the Maine Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan. Funding for these grants is provided by the Maine Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.

Over twenty applications for 2012 Cancer Plan Implementation Grants were received and an enthusiastic review by members of the Consortium Board of Directors took place in mid-January. The following projects were awarded 2012 grants.

Lincoln County Healthcare Palliative Care/Advance Care Planning Project, MaineHealth, awarded $3,950, supports implementation of objectives 14.3, 15.3, 15.5, 15.6, and 15.7. This project is part of an effort to increase clinician and community awareness of the importance of advance care planning in the Lincoln County Healthcare service area, site of Maine’s oldest population with 47% of its residents over age 50.

LiveStrong at the Y Cancer Survivorship Program, Cumberland County YMCA, awarded $5,000, supports implementation of goal 14. The LiveStrong program was designed to strengthen and support survivors on their paths to recovery following cancer treatment. The Consortium grant will help bring this established program to Maine, where participating Ys statewide have committed to offering it free of charge to cancer survivors. 

Middle School Culinary Club, Western Maine Health, awarded $3,728, supports implementation of objectives 7.3 and 8.3. The Consortium grant for Oxford County will help create an after-school culinary arts program for the middle school, where students will have the opportunity to become actively engaged with healthy foods and nutrition education.

MoveMore Snowshoe and Walking Program…A Family Affair, Greater Waterville PATCH, awarded $5,000, supports implementation of objectives 7.4, 8.1, and 8.2. This project focuses on improving physical activity behavior in the community by implementing an annual winter snowshoeing and spring walking program for families in Somerset and northern Kennebec counties.

Prevention Center Radon and Arsenic Education, MaineGeneral Medical Center, awarded $2,322, supports implementation of Cancer Plan objective 8.5. This project will expand the existing cancer prevention and education program for those in Franklin, Kennebec, Somerset, and Waldo counties, to include reducing cancer risk from environmental exposure to radon and arsenic.

The Consortium hopes to continue this program in the future.