WED-001 - Integrating Culture into Cancer Navigation and Care for Native Communities

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover how culturally grounded discussions are shaping cancer prevention and navigation in Native communities through the Community Cancer Prevention Academy (CCPA) series led by the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. In collaboration with the California Rural Indian Health Board and Indian Health Services’ California Area Office, 4 full-day Academies held across California in 2025 engaged 55 Community Health Representatives and Tribal clinic staff from 16 health centers. Each Academy wove Native culture into every session—spanning cancer burden data, prevention and screening, research sovereignty, and culturally responsive care. In response to community interest, a Cancer Center Tour and Showcase connected participants directly with UC Davis departments, strengthening readiness for navigation. A culminating dialogue with campus chaplaincy inspired plans to develop an outdoor ceremony space, illustrating the power of community-informed and -led cultural integration in cancer care.

Detailed abstract description: Integrating culture into cancer navigation and care for Native communities is not only a matter of cultural respect—it is essential to achieving equity in cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship. This presentation will share lessons from the development and statewide delivery of the Community Cancer Prevention Academy (CCPA) series, a collaborative effort between the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, the California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB), and the Indian Health Services California Area Office (IHS/CAO).

The CCPA was designed to strengthen the skills of Community Health Representatives (CHRs) and Tribal health clinic staff who serve as trusted liaisons within Native communities. Between February and September 2025, four full-day Academies were held across California, engaging 55 participants representing 16 Tribal health centers and 39+ Tribes. Each Academy incorporated five evidence-informed curriculum sessions—covering cancer burden data, risk factors and screenings, research and data sovereignty, community cancer education, and cultural integration into navigation and care.

What distinguished this training series was the central role of culturally grounded dialogue woven throughout the full-day sessions. Participants shared stories, cultural practices, and local strategies for integrating traditional knowledge into cancer education and patient support. These exchanges created space for mutual learning and strengthened connections between Tribal clinic staff and cancer center professionals.
In direct response to community interest, OCOE organized a Cancer Center Tour and Showcase following the July 30, 2025 Academy. Participants toured UC Davis facilities including Radiology, Adult and Pediatric Oncology, and the Infusion Pharmacy, and met with multidisciplinary staff through interactive panels. The experience helped CHRs visualize the cancer care environment and build confidence to support Native patients navigating to UC Davis for treatment.

A powerful dialogue that day with the chaplaincy at UC Davis Health sparked a new vision for an outdoor healing and ceremony space at the Cancer Center. This proposed space would allow Native patients and families to gather, sing, pray, and practice traditional medicine during treatment, advancing the institution’s commitment to cultural inclusion in care.
Attendees of this session will gain:
• Practical strategies for co-developing culturally grounded education and training programs with Tribal partners.
• Insights into how sustained dialogue fosters trust and readiness for patient navigation.
• Inspiration to embed culture and ceremony into clinical environments as a pathway to true health equity.

By centering Native voices and culture, the CCPA model demonstrates how academic-community partnerships can transform cancer navigation and care for Native communities in California and beyond.

1. Oral Presentation 2. Learning Lab 3. Poster