By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

A NEW community group, the Cancer Coalition, is now accepting members and volunteers.
During a meeting at the Commonwealth Health Center on Friday, Commonwealth Cancer Association coordinator Joanne Ogo said they need more people from different walks of life to be their partners in enhancing comprehensive cancer control programs.
Among those who attended the meeting were Rep. Benjamin Seman, CCA senior adviser Jack Hardy, CCA board member Carlene Reyes-Tenorio, CHC Volunteers Association’s Kim Prinz, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development manager Donald Etes, Public Health’s Tayna Camacho, and grant writer, Michael Thomas.
The meeting also discussed the memorandum of understanding between the Department of Public Health and CCA in forming the Cancer Coalition and the work plan for a comprehensive cancer control program.
Seman, R-Saipan, was chosen to chair the coalition and tapped to work on legislation related to cancer control.
He expressed concern regarding statistics on cancer cases in the CNMI, which he said appears to be incomplete because only CHC has available data.
Records from private health care providers have yet to be obtained, he said.
Seman said that for them to come up with comprehensive program they need to have complete statistics of cancer cases, including those from private clinics.
The new coalition is seeking partners among individuals and organizations including government agencies, businesses, the, media, healthcare workers, faith community, schools and even individuals engaged in traditional healing methods.
Ogo said,education is the main thing in achieving their mission — to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality rates for CNMI residents.