Witness Programs: Witness Project® programs are presented in churches and community centers by Witness Role Models (WRMs) and Lay Health Advisors (LHAs). WRMs are African American women who are breast or cervical cancer survivors. Their presence as survivors is seen as a blessing and proof that cancer is not a death sentence. LHAs are not cancer survivors themselves, but are women who want to work
with the project to organize and publicize programs, network with community people, answer questions about cancer screening services and available resources, teach BSE, and encourage preventive health services (mammograms, clinical breast exams (CBEs), pelvic exams, Pap tests, and BSE). During a Witness program session, WRMs witness by talking about their experiences with cancer, stressing the importance of early detection and answering questions about their personal experiences, fears, and concerns. Witnessing is done by 2 to 5 WRMs (at least 2 WRMs to avoid the appearance of a "token" survivor). The educational session addresses the fears and beliefs many women hold about cancer, demonstrates that the diagnosis of cancer is neither a death sentence nor a punishment, and provides participants with accurate, personal information about cancer, early detection and treatment methods. During the session, LHAs give breast and cervical cancer facts, inform participants of available cancer screening resources in the community, and following each session teach BSE using ethnic breast models. Steering Committee: The original WRMs and LHAs serve as an executive-style committee that meets monthly to achieve project objectives. This committee structure allows team members to maintain ownership of the project, as well as to contribute personal experiences and guidance for its success. Steering committee members provide valuable social, cultural, and personal networking expertise. Video: A 13-minute VHS video, If I Can Help Somebody: Witnessing to Save Lives, was developed in 1995 as a tool for ongoing breast and cervical cancer screening and education programs or for African American cancer support groups. Production of the video was supported by the Avon Breast Health Access Fund. In 1995, the Arkansas Chapter of the International Association of Business Communications (IABC) presented a Bronze Quill Award of Excellence to the Arkansas Witness Project® for the video, an established mark of excellence in the business communication profession. The video depicts African American breast and cervical cancer survivors in the church setting, telling the audiences of their experiences with cancer and why it is so important to practice early detection methods such as BSE, mammography, clinical breast exams (CBE), and Pap tests. A facilitator video, Training Survivors to Witness…A New Approach to Saving Lives, was released in 1996. Newsletter: To improve communication among the growing number of WRMs and LHAs, a brief newsletter, Reaching Out, was initiated in October 1995. Published on a quarterly basis, the newsletter introduces new WRMs and LHAs, announces special activities, offers health hints, and delivers news. The Witness Project® also has national partners replicating the project in 17 states across the nation. Therefore a national newsletter, Reaching Out, National Edition was initiated in March of 1998. Similar to the state newsletter, it announces special activities, meetings, offers health hints, is published quarterly, but delivers national news. National Replication and Dissemination of the Witness Project®: In 1997, The Witness Project® entered into a funded, cooperative agreement with the CDC to replicate and disseminate (R&D) the model in up to 12 community-based sites nationally over a 4-year period. The current sites include non-profit organizations, churches, private hospitals, and public health providers. The Witness Project® also has national affiliates -- sites that heard about our program, purchased The Witness Project® training materials, and signed a Trademark/License Copyright and Agreement and Memorandum of Agreement to replicate the program in their areas. The Witness Project® has a national scope with projects in twenty seven sites
encompassing seventeen states.
