New cancer caucus aims to provide more cancer resources in Hamilton County
UC experts participate in first-ever county State of Cancer forum
Between 2016 and 2023, the Ohio Department of Health states more than 1,600 people died from cancer each year. County commissioners, local doctors and other officials are now coming together to create a cancer caucus to provide free cancer screenings, ask for federal funding and search for a vaccine.
Hamilton County, Ohio, Commissioner Alicia Reece held the first-ever State of Cancer forum followed by a health expo Oct. 15. The forum featured panelists of doctors and cancer survivors sharing concerns about local and state data surrounding cancer, including the University of Cincinnati's Melinda Butsch Kovacic, PhD, and Elizabeth Shaughnessy, MD.
"My concerns are that there are some communities that do not have access to screenings," Butsch Kovacic, associate director for community outreach & engagement at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and professor and associate dean of research in the Department of Environmental & Public Health Sciences at UC's College of Medicine, told WCPO.
Reese said there are plans to continue the community partnership and engagement organized by the forum and expo.
“This is just the beginning,” Reese said. “With this caucus, we want to be aggressive with getting more federal funding for research and resources.”
Featured image at top: 513Relief Bus parked at UC's 1819 Innovation Hub during a different event in July 2024. Photo/Stephen Kenney
Related Stories
These teeny spiders are social media stars
August 28, 2026
The New York Times turned to a University of Cincinnati professor to explain the appeal of jumping spiders on social media.
An internal divide among unions on AI impacts the Wisconsin gubernatorial race
August 28, 2026
Anne Lofaso, a professor in the Donald P. Klekamp College of Law at UC, spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio, about the schism among unions over AI and whether it is a plus, a negative, or somewhere in between when looking at job creation.
On-site training in Speech & Hearing Clinic sets UC’s programs apart
August 27, 2026
At the University of Cincinnati’s Speech & Hearing Clinic, Doctor of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology graduate students gain real-world experience while providing free speech and hearing services to the community.