Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative Receives Continued Funding

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 15, 2011) — The Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative (CCFKYI), a program under the direction of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, has received $650,000 from GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals to expand and continue efforts to prevent cervical cancer in Kentucky.

The funding for the fiscal 2012 year is the second unrestricted gift from GlaxoSmithKline and follows a fiscal year 2011 gift also in the amount of $650,000. Researchers and public health professionals at the UK College of Public Health, in partnership with the Rural Cancer Prevention Center, will collaborate with state and local agencies to provide leadership and support for service projects to eradicate cervical cancer by increasing human papillomavirus and cervical cancer education, vaccination, screening, and treatment in Kentucky.

Cervical cancer is a notable public health concern for Kentucky, particularly the rural and Appalachian regions of the state. As reported by the Kentucky Cancer Registry from 2002-2006, the state incidence rate for cervical cancer was 9.44 per 100,000 (ranked 5th highest in the U.S.); rural counties’ incidence rate was 10.40 and the Appalachian region’s rate was 11.09.

"This second gift will allow us to expand our work to help our Commonwealth reach the shared goal to be without cervical cancer," said Dr. Baretta R. Casey, director of the CCFKYI and professor in the College of Public Health. The Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative will coordinate existing state and local resources and collaborate with partners to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the Commonwealth.

In 2010-2011, five organizations received $20,000 mini-awards to support their work to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. As part of the 2012 initiative, CCFKY will expand its program of mini-awards to local lead agencies, coalitions, community groups and organizations to develop and disseminate novel strategies to improve HPV and cervical cancer screening rates, HPV vaccination and cervical cancer survivorship in Kentucky.

For 2012, the Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative is offering Mini-Awards at two funding levels: $10,000 and $20,000. CCFKYI anticipates funding approximately 10 innovative projects to help impact cervical cancer disparities in Kentucky.  For more information on these awards, see http://cervicalcancerfreeky.org/content/request-mini-award-proposals.

The Cervical Cancer-Free Kentucky Initiative is made possible by the unrestricted gift from GlaxoSmithKline. For more information, see cervicalcancerfreeky.org.

Media Contact: Kristi Lopez, (859) 806-0445 or kristi.lopez@uky.edu..