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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

In November 2003 the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the American Cancer Society joined in a unique, life-saving partnership.

The partnership has been a productive one leading to a variety of successful advocacy efforts on state and county levels, and produced pilot programs in a number of churches that promote healthy living. However, more can be done, said Sandra Ferguson, associate council director for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. She envisions a large scale network of resourcing that pulls together the best of both organizations to assist people dealing with cancer.

'From diagnosis to survival, the American Cancer Society provides some of the best people and resources to address issues surrounding cancer,' Ferguson said, 'while the conference has a connectional system, a network that could enable them to reach people in an effective manner. It is a match made in heaven.'

Victoria Wells, grassroots manager of the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society, agrees.

On Feb 10, Wells called several regional leaders from the American Cancer Society together with Ferguson and others from the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula conferences to discuss how the church might become a vital support in terms of education, assistance and spiritual presence for those battling cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than half a million Americans died of cancer in 2004 ? that was more than 1,500 people a day. One out of every four deaths in the United States is from cancer; and about 1.4 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year.

'Cancer cuts across every segment of our society,' Ferguson said. 'There is no one in our churches who is not, or doesn?t know someone who is not, affected by cancer.'

At the meeting, the group decided to stage 'a ministerial conference to provide United Methodist leaders and parishioners with a comprehensive smorgasbord of programs and services to support efforts to reduce and eliminate cancer as a major health problem in the region,' Wells said.

Alva Hutchison, associate vice president of mission delivery for the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society, suggested varying levels of participation. Some churches might just need information that can be found in such resources as the Web site www.cancer.org, others might want to participate in seasonal campaigns like Breast Cancer Awareness Month or the Relay for Life, still others might want to train people to be drivers for those undergoing radiation treatments.

The ways to help and be helped are endless, Ferguson said. 'We bring a spiritual dimension, a holistic approach, to addressing this major health problem. Methodism?s founder John Wesley was very interested in health and wholeness. As disciples, we are interested in the whole person.'

Call to Action

On Feb. 6, at 6 p.m. a rally to support Maryland?s Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006 will be held at the Lawyer?s Mall across from the State House in Annapolis.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 8,000 Marylanders die each year because of direct and passive smoking. Smoke-related illness reportedly costs the state more than $3 billion annually.

The Rally for Smoke Free Air will endorse having Maryland pass smoke-free bar and restaurant laws, like nine other states have.

To learn more about the partnership between the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the American Cancer Society, call Sandra Ferguson at (410) 309-3431 or e-mail

For more information on the American Cancer Society, see www.cancer.org or call (800) ACS-2345.