Hirschey to lead $2.9M CDC-funded program advancing evidence-based cancer control

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $2,944,622 to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing Associate Professor Rachel Hirschey, PhD, RN, FAAN, who will co-lead the Scaling What Works – Improving and Accelerating Cancer Prevention, Treatment, and Survivorship (SWW-IMPACTS) program with Alison Brenner, PhD, MPH, associate professor in the UNC School of Medicine.

The five-year program will strengthen the ability of the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) sites to implement evidence-based interventions that improve cancer prevention and control. It builds on a successful pilot led by Hirschey and Brenner and will expand capacity-building efforts nationwide.

SWW-IMPACTS will provide training, technical assistance, and collaborative learning opportunities to 66 NCCCP recipients, including all U.S. states, territories, tribal organizations, and the District of Columbia. The program’s goal is to equip cancer control professionals with the tools and skills to adapt, implement, and sustain EBIs in their local communities.

UNC School of Nursing faculty member Jennifer Leeman, DrPH, MDiv, RN, FAAN, will also serve as a key investigator, helping assess the program’s effectiveness and reach.

“Too often there’s a gap between what we know works and what actually reaches communities,” said Hirschey. “This grant gives us the opportunity to partner with NCCCP programs nationwide to close that gap. Building the skills and capacity needed to put evidence-based strategies into practice in ways that reflect the strengths and needs of the people they serve.”

The CDC’s investment reflects a national effort to strengthen the implementation of proven cancer prevention and survivorship strategies for all Americans.

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