About OHANCAW®

WHAT?

A week that is organized by grass roots groups of individuals that are knowledgeable about cancers of the head and neck region. The week is organized at the discretion of these “local” directors and officers and customized to the resources and needs of their location. The week may include news releases, public service announcements, talks at middle schools, free cancer screenings, cancer survivor banquets, walk-a-thons, and research conferences.

WHY?

Head and neck cancers include cancers of the following areas:

• Mouth
• Throat
• Voice Box
• Skin
• Sinuses
• Saliva glands
• Thyroid gland

Research has shown that many people do not understand where these cancers are, what causes them, and how they are diagnosed. In fact, there may be a lack of knowledge among your health care professionals about this disease.

Thus, it is TIME FOR A CHANGE!
Let’s get together and make a difference. Let’s teach others about this disease!

HOW?

You can be the first to start OHANCAW^®  in your hometown. Sign up here.

Most people that start an event in their hometown have no idea how to begin.

How do you start?

• Develop a timeline. Once you decide to begin and sign up on the website, you are ready to go. In fact, each listing will be provided the ability to create a webpage with information, images, and videos with links to your site through Friends Asking Friends. 
• Identify what events you would like to participate in from the following list:
  • News and media release
  • Talks at middle schools by survivors and healthcare professionals
  • Walk-a-thon
  • Free cancer screenings
  • Survivor Events (Banquet, Silent Auction, Reception)
  • Mayoral and/or Gubernatorial Official Announcements
• Now, it is time to gather your officers, directors, and volunteers which brings us to:

 WHO?

You and many others! Hopefully, you will contact the following groups of people to identify who is interested and wants to help:

• Cancer survivors
• Friends and family of cancer survivors
• Public Relations and Marketing Department
• Nurses
• Speech Pathologists
• Dieticians
• Social Workers
• Dental Hygienists
• Dental Assistants
• Dentists, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, Maxillofacial Prosthodontists
• Physicians-Otolaryngologists, Head & Neck Surgeons, Radiation and Medical Oncologists
• Students-Medical, Dental, Speech and Language Pathology, Undergraduate 

WHERE?

The locations of each event may be different. Some of the places these events have occurred since the inaugural year of 1998 include:

• Clinics
• Hospitals
• Offices
• Malls
• Churches
• Barber shops and Salons
• Cancer Centers
• Dental Schools
• Medical Schools
• Health Fairs
• NASCAR races
• Major League (and Minor League) Baseball games 

WHEN?

April 22-28, 2012 or any time of your choosing! Many groups around the US and abroad organize these events during OHANCAW^®, or on a day, date, or week of their choosing. Although the broadest exposure is during OHANCAW^®, many people and organizations cannot schedule the event due to other conflicts. Thus, many are organized during other weeks or even months of the year.