WHO IS FWAACA? 

FWAACA, formally known as Fort Wayne African American Cancer Alliance, Incroporated  began with a group of concerned leaders, advocates, cancer survivors, and caregivers who realized the importance of improving the health status of the African-American and medically underserved communities.  

We were formerly one of 45 affiliate organizations of the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer,which was an arm of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  Unfortunately, the NCI decided to discontinue funding for the regional outreach initiatives in 2009. 

In August, 2008 FWAACA, Inc. became Building Bridges to Healthier Communities (BBHC), formerly our tagline but truly representative of the position our organization played in the community.  FWAACA/BBHC, through strong commitment proves itself as one of the leading health prevention program organizations.

FWAACA, through unique collaboration opportunities within our own community was instrumental in assisting with the development of the Allen County Health Disparity Coalition, founded and facilitated by Renetta Williams, Executive Director of HealthVisions Fort Wayne.  This empowering relationship gave room for new partnerships and cohesiveness to create stronger health prevention programming in the underserved communities.

The World Health Organization has marked that cancer will now surpass heart disease as being the leading cause of death among all populations.  However, African-American disparities continue to surpass any other ethnic group in mortality.   In Fort Wayne, cancer is the leading cause of death in the Black community.  A recent study by the American Cancer Society points out that colon and rectal cancer death rates are now nearly 50 percent higher in blacks than in whites.

FWAACA's programs have focused on delivering culturally sensitive, evidence based programs on cancer prevention addressing:

• nutrition
  
• physical activity
  
• routine screenings
  
• smoking cessation
  

Trained and committed facilitators deliver programs in community settings. 

           We love what we do.  We love that we do care. 

Our mission is to educate, advocate, and
collaborate to work toward the prevention
and early detection of cancer in
African-American/Black and
medically underserved communities.