Winning the Outstanding Regional Society Award is a huge honor and our region is very thankful and appreciative of the recognition. I was especially thrilled to be able to accept this award as the current President of ASGNA. This recognition honors all the hard work and dedication of the board members and membership volunteers, past and present.

This Award does not mean that we can rest on our laurels – we have to live up to the honor that was given. Of course we will continue our education offerings to our members but our community involvement will continue to get stronger.

How we got there:

In 2005, Patty Clark MSN RN CGRN, Mayo Clinic Hospital, put her master’s thesis into practice by developing a concept for colon cancer awareness and community education. This concept was the foundation of ASGNA’s 2008 Outstanding Regional Society award win.

ASGNA board of directors got wind of Clark’s idea, and dove in enthusiastically with support. Our 2007 mission was to expand the region’s role as community educators focused on colon cancer awareness and the importance of screening.

Part of the on-going process was the involvement at local events; such as the Relay for Live, the Crohn’s and Colitis Walk, the Women’s Expo and Save Your Parents at UofA and ASU.

At each quarterly meeting, the mission to educate was reiterated to membership. On GI Nurses and Associated Day, Buddy Bracelets were mailed to each GI lab, hospital and ambulatory care center to hand out to patients having screening colonoscopies.

The act allowed patients to carry the message forward as well.

We were proud that through our efforts we were able to bring the Super Colon to the Women’s Expo. ASGNA contacted the Arizona Women’s Expo staff, secured booths to hold the Super Colon, called the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and finally, filled out the Super Colon request. After gaining approval, plans were announced to membership that the region would have a booth at the Women’s Expo and the Super Colon was indeed was traveling to Arizona.

In 2008, education continued with a booth at the Relay for Live and the Crohn’s and Colitis Walk again. ASGNA helped staff booths with the Arizona Cancer Coalition at the University of Arizona and the Arizona State University for Save Your Parents. There, students were shown flexible scopes and colonoscopy videos as encouragement to ensure their parents were screened. On GI Nurses and Associates Day we again mailed Buddy Bracelets to all GI Centers (hospital and ambulatory) to continue to spread the message.

Plans now include working with the Arizona Cancer Coalition on the first annual UNDY 5000, a race specifically for colon cancer survivors. The work that the Arizona Cancer Coalition and ASGNA have done collaboratively was a factor in selecting Phoenix as one of the cities to host the event. ASGNA board members continue to met with representatives from the National and Arizona Cancer Coalition organizations to pledge our support, to be available to educate, answer questions and participate in the event.

The mission continues…….