During the expo’s INShape Indiana Black & Minority Health Fair, the IU Simon Cancer Center is partnering with the Little Red Door Cancer Agency to give away 3,000 seed packets to those who play an interactive game to learn about nutrition and cancer prevention.
“We want to promote gardening as a healthy lifestyle no matter where someone lives,” Tanya Parrish, director of programs and services at Little Red Door, said. “Healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle help reduce the chances of developing cancer.”
For the second consecutive year, the IU Simon Cancer Center and Side Street Deli are teaming up to offer fairgoers samplings of grilled chicken entrees and other healthy food choices. Side Street Deli will offer samples, beginning at the following times:
- 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14
- 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 15
- 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16
- 12:30 p.m. Sunday, July 17
“Together with our community partners – Little Red Door and Side Street Deli – the IU Simon Cancer Center looks forward to interacting with fairgoers, offering them cancer prevention information and healthy cooking suggestions to help individuals lower their risks of being diagnosed with cancer,” Rivienne Shedd-Steele, director of the cancer center’s Office of Health Disparities and Outreach, said.
Finally, fairgoers can help researchers at the IU Simon Cancer Center by donating a blood sample.
The researchers are participating in the Indiana State Department of Health’s One Stop-One Stick program, which allows people to donate blood and receive free screenings of their choice.
Men and women who have never been diagnosed with cancer can indicate they want their blood samples to be included in a study called IU-CABS — the Indiana University Cancer Biomarker Study — led by Noah Hahn, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and a physician/researcher at the IU Simon Cancer Center.
The study will help identify genetic and environmental risk factors that lead to the development of cancer.
Each participant will be asked to provide a one-time blood sample and complete a basic medical history questionnaire.
The IU Simon Cancer Center will be in booths 237, 239, 241, and 243 in Hall D of the Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capitol Ave. The booths are open:
- 4-8 p.m. Thursday, July 14
- 1-8 p.m. Friday, July 15
- 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 16
- Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 17
About Little Red Door
Established 65 years ago, Little Red Door is the oldest, local cancer resource in central Indiana striving to make the most of life and the least of cancer, helping over 6,000 Hoosiers each year. By reducing the physical, emotional, and financial burdens of cancer for the working poor and unemployed Hoosiers, Little Red Door enables patients to understand, detect and navigate cancer, while opening the door to hope.