The PA Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factor Project (PA-BCERF) is a research project coordinated by the Northern Regional Office of The Appalachia Cancer Network at The Pennsylvania State University. Funded by the Heinz Family Foundation, PA-BCERF is a collaborative effort of the Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health, and the College of Agricultural Sciences, Departments of Entomology, Food Science, Integrated Pest Management Program and Cooperative Extension. Evaluation of the project is being lead by Cathy Kassab, Ph.D. of By the Numbers.

The Northern Regional Office of The Appalachia Cancer Network

The Northern Regional Office of The Appalachia Cancer Network is a regional affiliate of The Appalachia Cancer Network (ACN), an organization that addresses critical cancer control issues that impact the rural, medically underserved population of Appalachia in the states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York. The ACN is an expansion of the Appalachia Cancer Initiative on Cancer (ALIC). The Northern Regional Office of the Appalachia Cancer Network is comprised of health care providers and systems, Northern Appalachia Leadership Initiative on Cancer (NALIC) Coalitions, and communities throughout the Appalachian regions of Pennsylvania and New York.

The long-term goals of the ACN program are to

• Reduce cancer incidence and mortality and prevent future increases
• Reduce barriers to accessing cancer control services and programs and increase utilization of such services
• Increase cancer survival, and
• Stimulate greater coordination and participation around regional, state and community cancer control networks throughout Appalachia.

Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factor Project in New York State

The Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF) was created in 1995 to respond to growing public concern regarding elevated breast cancer rates in certain counties in New York State (NYS). From its inception, BCERF has addressed the relationship between environmental risk factors and breast cancer through a variety of research and education strategies. BCERF translates scientific findings and data into understandable and accessible information. In addition, it has initiated local efforts to use what is known about breast cancer risk factors to create risk reduction strategies for women and girls.

By The Numbers

By The Numbers is a consulting firm specializing in program evaluation, needs assessments, customer and client surveys, employee surveys, and focus groups. Cathy Kassab of By The Numbers is leading the evaluation of the PA-BCERF project.

The Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Program

The Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Program or PA AHEC is a partner in a national and statewide effort to increase access to, and meet the primary health care needs of the residents of the Commonwealth. The PA AHEC realizes this goal by creating a seamless pipeline of health professions workforce development through education.

The PA AHEC strives to

• Increase access to primary health care in rural and urban medically underserved areas
• Recruit and retain primary health care providers into Health Professions Shortage Areas
• Develop a diversified work for in the health care professions
• Educate the community and promote public health initiatives

PSU College of Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension

Cooperative Extension is a non-formal community-based educational resource of The Pennsylvania State University funded cooperatively by state and county governments and the United States Department of Agriculture. For more than 75 years, Pennsylvanians have relied on Penn State Cooperative Extension for new ways to solve community and individual problems.

Each year more than 2 million people participate in Penn State Cooperative Extension seminars, workshops, conferences, short courses, computer-assisted learning, learn-at-home programs, and other activities. Countless others request information and guidance from county agents and their staff. Through publications, newspapers, radio, television, and a computer network, Cooperative Extension delivers information to people where they live and work.

The goals of Cooperative Extension are to:

• Through research and education, empower the agricultural system with knowledge that will improve competitiveness in domestic production, processing and marketing.
• Ensure an adequate food and fiber supply and food safety through improved science based detection, surveillance, prevention, and education.
• Through research and education on nutrition and development of more nutritious foods, enable people to make health-promoting choices.
• Enhance the quality of the environment through better understanding of and building on agriculture's and forestry's complex links with soil, water, air, and biotic resources.
• Empower people and communities, through research-based information and education, to address the economic and social challenges facing our youth, families, and communities.

PSU College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Entomology, Integrated Pest Management Program

The Pennsylvania IPM Program is collaboration between The Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture aimed at promoting Integrated Pest Management in both agricultural and nonagricultural situations.

Integrated Pest Management is an approach to managing pests such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals by integrating appropriate physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible. IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks.

PSU College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and WomenÕs Health

The Department of Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health is the academic arm of the Penn State Women’s Health Center with clinical and educational facilities on Cherry Drive in Hershey, Pennsylvania as well as extensive outreach programs. The Department sponsors extensive research and education in women’s health for health professionals as well as significant outreach activities. The Berstler Community Health Library is a consumer health library with a full time librarian who assists with health information for every age and both genders (the Library welcomes all visitors, but voice mail and e mail requests for information/ searches can be sent through 717-531-4032 or CHIL@psu.edu. Special programs of the Center include rural women’s health, menopause consultations, Vulvar and vaginal infections and pain, adolescent women’s health, high risk obstetrics, cancers of women, breast care center, and a large number of support and ongoing health education programs for the community through the Women’s Health Education Institute. To contact the Institute for ongoing programs and a brochure call Ms. Terry Smith at 717-531-8173.

Copies of the publication : As A Woman a women’s health newsletter produced by the Penn State Women’s Health Center and a community advisory board can be obtained by calling 717-531-8629. The newsletter is published quarterly and covers one topic (for example breast cancer, depression, cardiac health, alternative medicines) by focusing on issues for women in all stages of life. The newsletter has won awards for medical community journalism.

Research in the Department includes significant NIH, foundation, and industry supported studies in areas such as polycystic ovarian disease, gynecologic cancers, prematurity, pregnancy loss, and rural women’s health.

The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health

The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health was established in 1991 and is a joint venture between Penn State University's Colleges of Health and Human Development and Agricultural Sciences with strong ties to Penn State Cooperative Extension. The Office of Rural Heath is charged with assisting rural communities in building health care delivery systems through collecting and disseminating information; providing technical assistance; helping to coordinate rural health interests statewide; and by supporting efforts to improve the recruitment and retention of health care professionals. Highlights of the Office's achievements are publishing a quarterly newsletter Pennsylvania Rural Health News, coordinating the only conference in the state devoted to rural health issues, developing Gazetteers and Atlases for health planning efforts, and conducting applied rural health research.