Health Affects Us All: Addressing Cancer through Prevention and Equitable Access

Shelina Davis, MPH, MSW
Chief Executive Officer

I hope you’ve heard me say, or write many times over, health affects us all. It shapes how we live, work, learn, play, pray, and care for one another. When I talk about building a healthy Louisiana at LPHI, I am talking about more than the absence of illness. I am talking about every person having a fair chance to thrive, to access care when they need it, and to live full lives in the communities they call home. And that is why today, when I am talking about how health affects us all, I am talking about cancer.

Cancer touches every family, every workplace, and every community in our state. Its impact extends far beyond a diagnosis, affecting caregivers, employers, children, and entire support systems. In Louisiana, cancer continues to be a leading cause of death, with preventable and treatable cancers still claiming lives at higher rates in communities facing long-standing barriers to care. A healthy Louisiana cannot exist if these realities remain unaddressed.

January’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month offers a clear reminder of both the challenges we face and the opportunities within reach across our state. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet too many people in Louisiana are diagnosed later than they should be. Routine screenings and the HPV vaccine are proven, life-saving tools, but access to these services is not equal across our state, particularly in rural areas and among communities experiencing higher rates of poverty and limited insurance coverage.

But there are resources in Louisiana working to close these gaps. The Louisiana Department of Health’s Breast and Cervical Health program provides free or low-cost screenings for eligible individuals, and the Vaccines for Children program helps ensure young people can receive the HPV vaccine regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Community health centers, local health units, and trusted providers play a critical role in delivering prevention and early detection services close to home.

We can support a healthier Louisiana by encouraging routine screenings, sharing accurate information about prevention, advocating for policies that expand access to care, and investing in community-led solutions that build trust. When we prioritize prevention and equitable access, we strengthen not only individual health, but the health of our entire state.

A healthy Louisiana means leaving no one behind. And supporting every individual, family, and community along the way.