We’re on our way

The Knight Cancer Institute mobile outreach van is dedicated to ending the burden of cancer across Oregon — one mile at a time. Stretching more than 96,000 square miles, the state of Oregon spans mountains, rivers, valleys and deserts. It also has major health disparities, especially in cancer care.

As part of the Community Outreach and Engagement team, we’re on a mission to reach communities throughout our state. We work with local partners to bring tools and resources to help Oregonians lead longer, healthier lives.

Partners include:

• OHSU Casey Eye Institute
• Oregon Poison Center
• East County Community Health
• Crook County Public Health
• Northwest Human Services

You can find us at county fairs, street fairs, health fairs, block parties, community events and other events throughout Oregon.

What we do

We team up with local partners to provide resources to educate, prevent, detect and treat cancer. Some examples:

• HPV vaccines: The human papilloma virus (HPV) is linked to about 47,000 new cases of cancer every year. Most could be prevented with HPV vaccines. We work with local partners to provide education and give vaccines.
• Skin cancer screening: Skin cancer is linked to sun exposure. Survival rates are 99% if the cancer is caught early but 25% if it spreads. We work with local partners to provide education and check moles.
• FIT kits: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer, with about 150,000 new cases a year. Survival rates are 91% if caught early but 16% if it spreads. FIT kits are take-home stool tests that detect early signs of cancer. We provide education, give out FIT kits and work with local partners on follow-up.
• Clinical trials: Clinical trials give patients ways to detect cancer early and to try promising new therapies. But the patients who enroll in clinical trials are overwhelmingly white, younger and live in urban areas. We work with local partners to provide education and connect people to clinical trials such as Pathfinder 2.

"Healing Within Reach" is a documentary-style short film about the lifesaving importance of equity and access in cancer prevention and care. Watch the full video.