Celebrating the conclusion of a successful partnership: The Chickahominy TRUTH Project
On June 21st, members of the Chickahominy tribe and VCU researchers came together to celebrate the completion of the project.
The Chickahominy TRUTH project was headed by Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences faculty members and Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers Dr. Katherine Y. Tossas and Dr. Maria Thomson. The project began when researchers were contacted by a member of the tribe, who had been noticing and tracking an unusual number of cancer diagnoses in her neighborhood, near the tribal center and their local church, areas close to the Charles City County Landfill which has been operational since 1990. The proximity to the landfill and historical mistrust in healthcare among Native American communities seem to have exacerbated fears and decreased trust in local water sources, making this study both crucial and challenging.
The collaborative efforts of VCU and the community members have contributed to developing a clearer picture of the community’s health landscape, revealing not only heightened cancer fears but also a pervasive mistrust in healthcare and water safety. Importantly, this project has showcased the power of community-engaged research to address complex public health issues. Drs. Tossas and Thomson hope that their findings will lay the groundwork for continued, proactive community health engagement, as they are committed to continuing this engagement and working alongside the community to seek solutions and improve health outcomes in Charles City.
Excerpts are from original article about the project: https://blogs.vcu.edu/engagevcu/2024/04/17/unveiling-a-transformative-partnership-dr-kathy-tossas-charles-city-county/
Categories Faculty News