Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week® (OHANCAW®)

and

Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness (OHANCA®) Program

What We Do

With our OHANCA® Program, we work closely with local hospitals, clinics and medical centers each year to provide free head and neck cancer screenings for community members in hundreds of locations throughout the US and abroad. In 2018, there were 231 screenings hosted in 40 U.S. States and 58 screenings in 17 international countries. Michigan had the most screenings of any state, followed by Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

Why We Do It

The goal of this initiative is to encourage adults who are at high risk for oral, head and neck cancer to take advantage of the nationwide and international free screenings. A key message of the campaign is that early diagnosis is key to successful treatment of these types of cancers.

2020 Dates

Free screenings occur all over the US and abroad any time during the year. In April, we have a pinnacle week, named the Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week® which promotes a high volume of free screenings all over the world, plus educational talks and other awareness programs.

The 2020 OHANCAW® is scheduled for April 13-19. Host registration for OHANCA® for 2019 is still available throughout the year.

How to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved. If you are a patient, caregiver or someone affected by head and neck cancer and are interested in educating others about this disease, please talk to your doctor, a local dental clinic or medical institution about the importance of early detection. Once you have a medical clinic or institution interested in joining this cause, sign up is easy. For more information on how to host a screening, go to Host a Screening.

If you simply want to find a screening site near you, or participate in head and neck cancer awareness events in your region, please go to Screening Locations. There, you can search for events and screenings in your area.

Other events to support head and neck cancer awareness include:

  • runs/walks
  • survivor workshops
  • basketball/golf/tennis tournaments
  • silent auctions and galas
  • and more…

 

 
This program is generously supported by a grant from 

1-866-792-HNCA (4622)



I had no idea that HPV could cause head and neck cancer. I am an advocate for everyone I know. I don’t want them to experience what I and my family experienced because we did not know about this sexually transmitted virus.Tina O’Dell
Survivor of HPV-Attributed Stage III Squamous Cell

Thank You to Our Corporate and Community Partners