Mission Statement

To make Georgia a national leader in cancer treatment and research by accelerating research, prevention, early detection and treatment.

Vision

Georgia’s population will have significantly lower morbidity and mortality rates for cancer.  Georgians will know and practice cancer-preventing behaviors, and have access to early cancer detection and screening.  Georgia will be a magnet for cancer research and will have a network of quality cancer facilities capable of delivering the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies and regimens.

We will achieve this vision by:

• Providing education to Georgians about how to prevent cancer and stressing the importance of early detection of cancer.
• Ensuring that the most innovative and effective cancer-screening programs are available and accessible to all Georgians.
• Establishing and providing cancer patients in Georgia access to the highest standard of cancer care.
• Developing an aggressive and innovative cancer research effort and using it to provide Georgians with cancer prevention, screening, early detection, and treatment strategies that are individualized to each person.
• Ensuring that every cancer treatment facility in the state has well-trained caregivers who are proficient in cancer diagnosis and treatment.  Facilities should have national accreditation.
• Developing an entrepreneurial research and business environment that encourages investment by biotechnology, cancer research, genomic and pharmaceutical firms.

Goals

Prevent cancer and detect existing cancers earlier

The initiative will work to reduce the number of cancer deaths through a focused education and screening effort, with particular emphasis on the cancers that are the major causes of death.  Development of a statewide network of public and private providers will give Georgians greater access to screenings.

Improve access to quality care for all Georgians with cancer

A network of hospitals will ensure that basic cancer care is available close to home anywhere in the state.  More advanced treatment will be available at several medical centers throughout the state and regional service areas, enabling Georgians to get world-class medical care and participate in clinical trials without leaving the state.

Georgia will take the necessary steps to earn designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation offered.

Save more lives in the future

The initiative intends to recruit 150 distinguished scientists and clinicians to Georgia universities and medical centers and coordinate clinical research efforts.  New detection and treatment methods and technology will contribute to the ultimate eradication of cancer. 

The initiative will support a bioinformatics program, using biology, mathematics and computers for genomic and proteonomics.  The program will be multi-institutional.

Train future cancer researchers and caregivers

The initiative will develop or utilize national recognized standards for training of future cancer clinicians and continuing education for practicing clinicians.

Realize economic benefits from eradicating cancer

Building partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies will provide quality jobs to Georgians and environmentally clean additions to the economy.  Private funding will help support research and launch new developments with commercial potential.