Local woman wants to be part of cancer research

Residents of St. Croix County have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in an historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations according to the American Cancer Society.

Rosa Magnus has decided she wants to be among the participants. “My mom passed away from cancer when I was nine and my sister is a breast cancer survivor,” said Rosa Magnus, local study participant. “The CPS-3 study is my opportunity to contribute to something bigger and could potentially affect many people so they don’t have to deal with the death of a loved one. I pre-registered and it was very easy. It was 20 minutes of my day that could affect the next 20 years of someone’s life.”

Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). CPS-3 will enroll a diverse population of 300,000 people across the United States and Puerto Rico. The opportunity for local residents to enroll in CPS-3 is being made possible in partnership with Hudson Hospital and the St. Croix County Government Center Sept. 11 and 12. Interested participants can pre-register online by Tuesday, Aug. 28.

CPS-3 will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer.

Appointments will continue to be taken and there is room for some walk-in participants, but those planning to enroll are strongly encouraged to make an appointment by the Aug. 28 pre-registration deadline to help ensure a successful enrollment. Online registration allows participants to complete the required baseline survey ahead of time, which will help them move through the enrollment more efficiently on Sept. 11 and 12.

To enroll in the study, individuals will go to either Hudson Hospital on Sept. 11 or the St. Croix County Government Center on Sept. 12 and will be asked to read and sign an informed consent form; complete a brief survey, have their waist circumference measured; and give a small blood sample. The in-person enrollment process takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. At home, individuals will complete a comprehensive survey packet that asks for information on lifestyle, behavioral, and other factors related to their health. Upon completion of this process, ACS will continue to send periodic follow-up surveys to update participant information and annual newsletters with study updates and results. The initial and follow-up surveys completed at home will take an hour or less of time to complete and are expected to be sent every few years.

For more information on CPS-3 or to schedule an enrollment appointment, go to www.cps3stcroix.org.

To learn more about the American Cancer Society and the services it offers call (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Tags: lifestyle, health, people