09/25/2026
Arkansas Cancer Coalition Receives $205,905 to Expand Rural Cancer Screening Through HEART Initiative
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Cancer Coalition (ACC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $205,905 through the Healthy Eating, Active Recreation & Transformation (HEART) initiative, part of Arkansas’ Rural Health Transformation Program.
The funding, announced by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders on September 24, will support the ACC’s “Screening Arkansas: Building Rural Capacity for Cancer Screening, Navigation, and Access” project. The initiative will focus on Pulaski, Crittenden, and Lee counties, strengthening access to breast, colorectal, and lung cancer screening services in rural communities.
Through this project, the Arkansas Cancer Coalition will work with clinics and community partners to improve cancer screening outreach, patient reminders, navigation, referrals, follow-up services, provider education, and transportation coordination. These efforts are designed to help more Arkansans access recommended cancer screenings and support earlier detection of cancer.
The award is part of $27.4 million in HEART initiative funding supporting 30 projects across Arkansas. The Rural Health Transformation Program represents a broader effort to strengthen healthcare services and improve health outcomes in rural communities throughout the state.
“We are excited and honored to receive this funding, which will allow the Arkansas Cancer Coalition to strengthen partnerships and expand access to lifesaving cancer screenings in rural Arkansas,” said Trena Mitchell, Executive Director of the Arkansas Cancer Coalition. “Early detection can make a meaningful difference in cancer outcomes, and this investment will help us reach communities where barriers to screening and follow-up care can be significant.”
The Arkansas Cancer Coalition remains committed to building partnerships and advancing strategies that reduce the human suffering and economic burden of cancer for Arkansans.
For more information about the Arkansas Cancer Coalition and its work to reduce the cancer burden in Arkansas, visit www.arcancercoalition.org