Harnessing the Power of Partnerships: How community collaborations drive shared success in cancer research and public health

Marlyn Allicock, PhD, MPH, associate professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Dallas, works closely with the Celebrating Life Foundation (CLF), a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, encourage, and empower individuals affected by cancer, namely those in the African American community.

Allicock says, “This mission and my research goal of addressing factors contributing to cancer health inequities are complementary. Over the past two decades, CLF has been an integral part of serving the south Dallas area, where the prevalence of breast cancer is one of the highest in Texas. Our shared knowledge and expertise ensure that our resources can be pooled to enhance efforts addressing health equity.”

Sylvia Powers, the founder of CLF and a leading figure dedicated to advocating for women of color diagnosed with cancer, says, “The partnership with the School of Public Health has been beneficial for the Celebrating Life Foundation by providing unique opportunities to collaborate with leading researchers and professionals dedicated to advancing public health. We believe the expertise in public health that the school brings will amplify CLF’s ability to reach broader audiences, create more effective programs, and address systemic barriers to care, particularly for African American women disproportionately affected by breast cancer.”

Over one year, Powers researched cancer statistics for a book she was writing. She found that, according to the American Cancer Society, African American women were more likely to die from breast cancer than any other ethnic group. Powers also interviewed 62 African American breast cancer survivors from 16 states across the country. This experience led Powers to establish CLF.

Allicock’s and Powers’ paths crossed when each became a member of the Patient Navigator Advocacy Coalition, a Dallas community-based program focused on improving health outcomes for cancer patients. Their shared interest in volunteerism, cancer research, and resourceful support sparked a collaboration that generates solutions-based outcomes.

Allicock lends her expertise to design the evaluation for CLF’s health initiatives and participates in the organization’s annual Sister-to Sister Fitness Festival.

Through this collaboration and many others like it, the School of Public Health extends its reach beyond traditional academic settings, embedding itself within the community to foster trust and facilitate meaningful change. This presence enables the development of culturally sensitive programs and interventions that resonate with the community’s unique experiences and needs.

Allicock is part of a team of researchers at The Adolescent and Young Adult Scholarship, Training, and Research (AYA STAR) Lab, a collaborative at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health with the mission to improve the lives of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. Learn more about the AYA STAR Lab here.