Connect

This is the latest installment in our Connect article series “Hope at Work” — showcasing inspiring stories about how our team members contribute to UVA Health’s 10-year Strategic Plan: “One Future Together Health and Hope for All.” No matter where you work, you have an opportunity to inspire hope in others. These stories show how.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Claudette Grant’s mother, Ruby Grant, often told her as Claudette was growing up. The sentiment still rings true for Claudette. Since 2021, she's supported UVA’s Health Strategic Plan initiative of community engagement and health equity through her role as an outreach specialist with a focus on cancer health equity at our Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (OCOE). It’s an initiative she emphasizes “takes a concerted and collaborative effort throughout our whole health system to achieve.”

The American Cancer Society reports colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community with the highest rates of any U.S. racial/ethnic group — African Americans are about 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40% more likely to die from the disease than most other groups.

“So often, I hear people say they don’t want to go through the colorectal cancer screening process,” shares Claudette. “I’ve known people who’ve died of colorectal cancer because it was too late when their cancer was found and diagnosed. I understand the fear, the history, and some of the challenges of getting screened. I’ve had so many people — even within my own family — who give me many excuses for why they don’t want to get screened. So we talk about screening options and how helpful they can be for early detection or prevention.”

Claudette explains, “Educating and screening especially our minority populations about the importance of taking care of their health can help save lives and improve cancer outcomes.”

Expanding Our Excellence

Claudette and OCOE — eight team members and growing — partner with community organizations to hold hundreds of events; community screenings; and evidence-based cancer prevention, early detection, and survivorship programs — across Virginia and parts of West Virginia, such as:

• National Minority Health Month and National Minority Cancer Awareness Month in April focusing on health disparities.
• Groove the Blues Away on Saturday mornings in May in Charlottesville — focusing on mental health awareness and physical activity with dance, exercise, acupuncture, massage, and representation from a range of community groups.
• Cancer screening promotion at the annual MayFest performing arts event in Buckingham County, Virginia.
• Every Woman’s Life promoting breast and cervical cancer screening.

In fall 2022, Claudette partnered with the Black Faculty and Staff Employee Resource Group to raise awareness of colorectal cancer while hosting a screening of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." You’ll recall that in 2020, Chadwick Boseman, the star of the Marvel blockbuster movie, tragically lost his life to colorectal cancer at the age of only 43.

OCOE also works closely with about 140 community partners across Virginia to develop and implement innovative, culturally appropriate, and inclusive cancer programs that impact communities. Claudette serves on the board of directors of the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia (CACV), which “fosters relationships among healthcare systems, nonprofits, community organizations, and individuals to work together for a Virginia without cancer.” Claudette is part of the coalition’s program committee, developing agenda and content — and the conference planning committee, organizing the Virginia Cancer Conference Sept. 28-29 in Richmond to highlight CACV’s primary initiative: the 2023-27 Virginia Cancer Plan. 

“Claudette is dedicated and passionate about the work she does in collaboration with the community,” touts OCOE Director Lindsay Hauser. “She goes above and beyond to develop deep, meaningful relationships with our partners. Her dedication to her work results in cancer screening and prevention programs that are truly built using community input and feedback to address cancer burden.”

Saving Lives and Improving Cancer Outcomes

What's a typical day in Claudette’s role involve? She may choose items to support a community event, such as educational and screening material and swag, and facilitate community listening sessions and Understanding Cancer workshops. “We’re also constantly working on creative and innovative ways to reach out and engage communities, particularly the underserved. A lot of time is spent researching, meeting, and working with the communities to come up with messages and activities to make a difference,” she describes.

Claudette is passionate about working with people, declaring “I learn so much from conversations!” At a rural community event, she met a cancer survivor who was struggling to get relatives to cancer screenings. “So we celebrated her survival and loaded her up with materials we hope would help her move the needle in a positive direction for family members. We encouraged her to join us at a listening session in her community to bring a helpful perspective to the type of work we do.”

Adds Claudette: “If we can help people understand the importance of taking care of their health in general including cancer screenings and cancer prevention such as making sure they use sun block to protect their skin from the sun, hopefully more people will be educated and have a better understanding of cancer prevention.”

Care, Teach, and Discover

Sometimes, Claudette’s mission continues off the clock. She recalls helping a caregiver — who, sometimes need almost as much support as those being cared for. Claudette ran into a friend who was dropping off her loved one for treatment at the Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center. “She was overwhelmed and in need of support to help her take care of her ailing husband. I reached out to a colleague who helps patients on clinical trials with support connections. We provided various support contacts to my friend — helpful for the couple at the time. Unfortunately, her husband passed away.” But Claudette’s thoughtful outreach made an impact.

Claudette’s stewardship and philanthropy extends to volunteering at her church, and at Child Health Partnership, a local nonprofit, where she serves as chair of the board of directors.

All in the Family

She also enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, visiting farmer’s markets, and spending time with loved ones.

That includes her husband, Charlottesville Vice Mayor Juandiego Wade, who recently led an “Introduction to Stress Aid” class presented by UVA Health’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville; her daughter, Gabriella Wade, who has helped Claudette serve fresh and healthy food to underserved communities; and — full circle — the woman who helped spark Claudette’s passion to improve others’ lives: her mother, Ruby.

Are you ready to share your UVA Health story of inspiring “Hope at Work”? Submit your interest to this form for consideration for a future installment in this Connect series.