Effective advocates for cancer prevention and control have certain characteristics:

• they know what they want to accomplish;

• they know who they need to contact;

• they know how to ask for support; and

• they know how to follow up.

In order to help you achieve your goals, the MCC Advocacy Committee has developed this tool kit of cancer facts, information on basic legislative and appropriations processes, guidelines on how to communicate effectively, and links to Internet resources of interest.

In addition to what we offer here, many more useful advocacy tools can be found on the Web site of our member organization, the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, Inc. at its Cancer Action Network and Michigan Action Center pages.

Please use this tool kit and let us know what you think by e-mailing your thoughts to us at .

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2011-2012 Michigan Cancer Consortium Advocacy Platform for achieving comoprehensive cancer control in Michigan (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

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Information About the MCC and the MCC Initiative
This MCC Communications Tool Kit contains all the necessary information to help you explain and promote the MCC and its Initiative.

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Cancer Facts and Information

• Cancer fact sheets

• MCC Monthly Theme Calendar, with cancer resources arranged by type of cancer

• Cancer data

• Cancer data by Michigan Senate districts (available as as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*
  The Consortium would like to express its appreciation to the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, Inc. for compiling this document, which includes 2004 cancer mortality (death) rates and 2003 cancer incidence (new occurrence) rates for each Michigan Senate district.

• Cancer data by Michigan House districts (available as as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*
  The Consortium would like to express its appreciation to the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division, Inc. for compiling this document, which includes 2004 cancer mortality (death) rates and 2003 cancer incidence (new occurrence) rates for each Michigan House district.

• Healthy Michigan Fund information

  • Building on the Base created by the Healthy Michigan Fund (available as as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Cancer in Michigan, including cost data (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Cost savings associated with cancer screening (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Cost savings of colorectal cancer screening (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Percentage of total health care costs attributable to smoking (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Lifetime health care costs of smokers vs. former smokers vs. nonsmokers (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Smoke-Free Workplaces: The Impact of House Bill 4163 on the Restaurant and Bar Industry in Michigan (April 14, 2008; prepared by Public Sector Consultants for The Campaign for Smokefree Air) (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Smoking Prevention News (Tobacco-Free Michigan's newsletter; archives beginning with March 2008 issue)

• The toll of tobacco in Michigan (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids)

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Legislative Information, Analyses, and Testimonials

• Testimony of Dr. Ronald M. Davis on June 12, 2007 to the Michigan House Commerce Committee on HB 4163
  Dr. Ron Davis is well known and respected in MCC circles as a tobacco cessation champion. He served most recently as chair of the MCC 2005 Lung Cancer/Tobacco Cessation Advisory Committee. Read his June 2007 testimony for information on the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke.

  • Written transcript (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

  • Audio and video versions

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Information on Basic Legislative Processes

• How a Bill Becomes a Law (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Budget Development Timeframe (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• American Cancer Society Appropriations Strategy (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

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Communications

• State Health Policy Makers: What’s the Message and Who’s Listening? Jones E, Kreuter M, et al. Health Promot Pract 2006; 7; 280 (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Key Messages for Policymakers and Funding Agencies: How to Advocate for the MCC Priorities (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• MCC Advocacy Flyer: "Michigan's National Award-Winning Cancer Consortium" (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Sample talking points (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Sample log form for recording contacts made (revised June 13, 2007)

  • Microsoft Word version

  • online version

• Guidelines for press releases (available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor (compliments of Campaign for Smokefree Air; available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

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Internet Sites of Interest

• American Cancer Society (ACS) Cancer Action Network

• ACS — Michigan Action Center

• ACS — How Do You Measure Up? A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality (August 2011; available as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)*

• American Heart Association — Advocacy portal

• American Lung Association

• Ending the Tobacco Problem: A Blueprint for the Nation (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies; May 23, 2007)

• Kids Involuntarily Inhaling Secondhand Smoke (KIISS): Protecting Kids from Secondhand Smoke
  www.kiiss.org/work/index.html

• Make MI Air Smokefree
  www.makemiairsmokefree.org

• National Conference of State Legislators
  www.ncsl.org

• Pain and Policy Studies Group
  www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/

• Partnership for Prevention — Smoke-Free Policies: Establishing a Smoke-Free Ordinance to Reduce Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Indoor Worksites and Public Places: An Action Guide (April 2009 rev.)

• National Cancer Institute State Cancer Legislative Database
  www.scld-nci.net/

• Tobacco-Free Michigan
  www.tobaccofreemichigan.org

*Please Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open, view and print this file once it has been downloaded. If you need a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click here.

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last updated: 03/01/12