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I’m Dr. Rob Winn and you're listening
to Real Cancer Talk

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from VCU Massey
Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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This is Community Conversations.

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I am Community Clo.

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Wherever you are.
You want to turn us all the way up.

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This is another show of no white coats
and no co-pay.

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And on the show with me, because
we're always in a win win situation.

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Doctor Robert Winn, of the VCU
Massey Cancer Center.

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How you doing?

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Sister Clo,
you know, every day, every opportunity

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I get to be with you
I’m good. Come on, Sis.

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That's right.

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And I want to say you know the VCU Massey
Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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And also she's no stranger to the show.

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Doctor Kathy Tossas, how are you doing?

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Hello.

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Yeah, I'm really happy to be here
with you guys again.

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It's good to have. That's right.

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Doctor Tossas office of Catchment Area
Data Access and Alignment,

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co-principal investigator,
Chickahominy Truth Project.

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And we also have Chief Stephen Adkins
joining us.

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He is with the Chickahominy tribe.

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How are you doing, Chief Adkins?

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I'm great.

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Good to be here.

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I'm also familiar with this show,
so I'm an avid fan.

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All right. Well, we thank you so much.

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And I have family still in Charles City
County.

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Let's talk about the Chickahominy
Truth Project.

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Let's delve all the way in.

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Well, so again,
thank you for for having us here.

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This this project is really special for
for the Massey Cancer Center

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and for Charles City County,
because it's one of those

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where is straight up and true community.

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This project came about because one of the
residents from Charles City County, Mrs.

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Susann Brown, who also happens
to be part of the Chickahominy

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tribe, came to us with a concern.

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And the concern was that she was seeing
a whole lot of cancers early on that

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she went through our church
and was somebody new,

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diagnosed with cancer,
and she was like, something's going on.

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We need to at least investigate this.

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And, you know, this community,
as you will also hear later on from Miss

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Michelle Johnson,
who's the county administrator

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and will be, you know,
joining the conversation a little later.

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You know, there's a
there's a lot of things going on.

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You know, one, development-wise,
which is wonderful.

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But there's also there's a landfill,
there's tire recycling.

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There's a lot of other things
that they have concerns around

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contamination in their community.

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But regardless of what's happening
or what's not happening,

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the community has a concern.

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And so we always say,
and that concern deserves our ear.

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So, you know, in partnership with them,
we developed the truth project.

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And truth is really cool
because truth is an acronym

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that stands for Trust, Research,

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Understand, Teach and Heal.

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And the project is simple.

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We just go into folks homes
that have a concern.

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We are planning on interviewing around
150 residents

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that are within a four mile specific
four mile radius area.

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And there's a reason
why we're focusing on that

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and that we're just doing
community service and asking people

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about their, perceptions of cancer

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risk, about their knowledge around,
you know, health and things like that.

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And going to summarize that.

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We're going to discuss
that with Chief Adkins, with Miss Johnson

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and see, you know,
where do we go from there?

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What can we do to partner with them to
improve the health of Charles City County.

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That's really the gist of it.

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Wow. Doctor Tossas, thank you so much for
just giving us the about with this.

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But when I think about the VCU Massey
Cancer Center, not only is it

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a comprehensive cancer center, but
it's a community cancer center as well.

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What we're talking about going
into the community and you have questions,

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and folks are reaching out to Massey
and you're saying, look, we got a problem.

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I know five people that has cancer living
in my community go into my churches.

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So I just want to commend you
for all you doing.

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And Doctor Winn,
you are the community bridger.

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Okay.

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And I just want to thank all of us
for this, because when you think

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about people in general or the black
and brown community, when you're

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talking about cancer, that C word,
it is already a death sentence.

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But it's really not.

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Right, Doctor Winn, I need you to come on
and expound on that. Oh.

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Come on, come on.

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Now, you know, our job
is to make the biggest thing smaller,

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but every year, in fact,
I'm glad to report that that's true.

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Now, you can read Dr.

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Tik-Tok, Doctor Google
all you want to and all of that stuff.

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But we can put in facts,
and I'm old fashioned enough to know that

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what I see, what I touch, what I know
was real facts and objective facts.

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And what we know is that breast cancer,
colorectal cancer,

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lung cancer, that folks are living longer.

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You can get access to the right care.

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So that's what we're trying to do.

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And, you know, the folks up here, Sister
Johnson, Chief Adkins, Doctor Tossas,

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and you, we’re all combined in one thing
and that's just to make sure that

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this cancer thing gets smaller and smaller
and that people don't die from cancer.

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People die with cancer.

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That's what I'm trying to get to.

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Wow. This is oh my goodness, I love it.

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The truth project already.

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We just started talking about it.

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Trust has always been a major factor
right.

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And research and getting people
to understand and healing

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and and that's what I love
so much about the Massey Cancer Center

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and the Community Conversation
show that we do monthly is where

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we're trying to get this understanding
that you can heal,

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but we got to get you in
to see the doctor.

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And just the mere fact

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that we have cool doctors on the show,
we're in a win win situation.

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Now. Chief Stephen Adkins,
I want you to talk about

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the cancer cases
near Chickahominy Tribal Center.

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I'm pleased to do that.

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But first let me say that doctor
Winn and Doctor Tossas,

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reveal the truth to black and brown people
that here to four hasn't been revealed.

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And that is when we're at the end stage.

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It doesn't mean that you
your hands are folded across your chest

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and the coffin lid drops down.

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We are gaining access to the same thing

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that the dominant culture
has been privy to much longer.

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So when you hear the word in stage or

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the term in stage, its use a death signal.

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But there are cutting edge
technologies out there that Doctor Winn

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made me aware of, that we are introducing
to the black and brown communities.

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But the Chickahominy tribes
specifically, I've been besieged by,

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with request from Chickahominy citizens
as well as citizens

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from the community at large, saying,
what can we do about this

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high incidence of cancer in this very,
very, small area?

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So I did a little back of the

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match box kind of calculations.

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It came up very quickly.

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I'm talking less than ten minutes a 53

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people's names who have cancer,

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and 20 of
those people have died from cancer.

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And where we are today is researching
what's going on in the area,

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getting it, getting folks engaged,
helping them understand that we need

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their participation in order to find out
if there is a cause.

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And and we're looking at the environment,
the water, the air,

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and we're looking at maybe, 
genetic, issues

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that 
that may cause folks to be more inclined,

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to, you know, to have cancer there
maybe something in their lifestyle,

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maybe something in their genes
that would make them,

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disposition
or predisposed to toward these diseases.

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But we won't know

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unless we interview citizens,
talk to them frankly about who we are.

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So that's where the trust issues come up.

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We're so accustomed
to the dominant culture saying,

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this is what's the best for you.

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You know what's right for you.

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And that white coat syndrome is real.

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I mean, I hearken back to to the folks
who were were tested

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for syphilis and given no treatment.

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Just just people watch them die.

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And I look at the, at the blankets,

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the smallpox, smallpox blankets
that were given to native people.

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So that trust must be earned.

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So to see someone,
you know, black and brown people

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approaching
me, that makes it less intimidating.

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These folks look like me.

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Yeah. I'm more inclined to trust them.

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And to believe
what they are talking about.

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So we're very happy
to be partners in this,

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and we think we are going
to uncover some truths that will help us

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move forward stronger
and with much more confidence.

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Wow, thank you so much, Chief Adkins.

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When we're looking at the cancer cases, 15
different types of cancers identified,

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12 cancers implicated in the literature
with water on air pollution.

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What is the population of Charles
City County, Doctor Tossas?

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It's about 10,000,
I think it Miss Johnson?

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And the the population of, the citizens

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in the Chickahominy tribe
in this specific area there.

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It's around
600, 700 living in this very. Yes.

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And this is small, small city.

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Around 6900. Wow.

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Thank you so much, Miss Johnson, for that.

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Look,
we have more good news to talk about.

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We've got to talk more about the cancer
cases in Charles City County.

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Water testing, surveys, addressing
generations of medical mistrust.

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This is Community Conversations.

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I am Community Clo.

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Stay close.

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Welcome back to Community Conversations.

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I am community club.

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I love it when we do this show.

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It's a day of no co-pay
and no white coats.

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And I have doctors joining me on the show.

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Doctor Robert Winn is director of the VCU
Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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I call him our community doctor.

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How are you doing, doctor Winn?

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Well, you know what?

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It's all the way up because I’m
with Sister Clo, you know what I’m saying?

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That's right.

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And, you know, Doctor Kathy Tossas.

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She is like that.

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How are you doing? Oh.

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Yeah, I'm doing great.

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Every time I get to be with you
guys is a good day.

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Isn't it a good day?

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And now we got.

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We got a new family joining us, Chief
Stephen Adkins of the Chickahominy tribe.

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How you doing, chief? I'm fine. How?

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I was great to be here.

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Wow. We got to get back to this.

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And we want to bridge this
gap as you do so.

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Well, Doctor
Winn, talking about the community

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is leading the Truth Project.

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Talk a little bit about that.

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Yeah, I think that from day one, as Toni
Morrison said, you know,

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if you don't change the status quo, you
don't just want to do something different,

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you want to do a different thing.

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So the approach was for years and years,
we had our scientists and our doctors,

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and I think Chief Adkins sorta said,
telling you what to do was good for you.

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Actually, growing up in the hood,
what I understood was that most of what I

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learned when I was in college,
I just needed to put titles and tags on.

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But I learned that from my hood.

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And so we wanted to flip the script
a little bit and say

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that there was power and wisdom
within the community.

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And what a wonderful model
to at least put out there and saying,

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what if we had a community
focused, community led cancer center

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where we learn from
and with the wisdom within the community

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of how to actually have my scientists
refine their science and our doctors

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refine their approaches to care.

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So that's kind of how
we actually approach it.

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This is so good.

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And you hanging out with doctors,
scientists and researchers, man.

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Again, I'm in a win win situation

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that we can share this
with our communities in Virginia

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and around the nation,
literally around the world.

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And this is very important work
that we're doing here.

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So now this is a community led event.

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We are talking about the Truth Project

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and Charles City County
with the population and more.

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Michelle, Michelle Johnson, come on over.

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You are a community led advocate.

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Talk about the Truth Project
from the community aspect

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and how you did reach out to Massey.

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Well, thank you so much. Yes,
I'm excited to be here.

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I love your show and we're just excited
that, you know, Charles City County,

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we are getting the
the attention that we need.

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Like Chief Adkins stated earlier
so many of our loved ones are gone

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now due to cancer.

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But now reaching out to VCU and Doctor

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Winn and his team,
we literally feel like we're being heard.

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You know, as a small community,
we have learned to advocate for ourselves.

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Just to be self-sustainable.

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And now with the Truth Project, it's
bringing the highlight

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to our community that we need
a centered around health care.

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You know, when you look at a small
community, everybody know these out there.

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You know,

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when people visit us and you're visiting
from out of out of Charles City County,

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when you're driving, people are going to
with you because they want to say welcome.

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And that's a small knit community.

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And we want to make sure
that our community members

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are taking care of
and VCU is doing an amazing job

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of listening to our needs and just really,
really tying all the pieces together

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so that we can improve
the health outcomes for our county.

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You know, it's pretty impressive to me.

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And this is something
Doctor Winn talked about over a year ago.

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How do we get to our rural areas
and our small towns?

00;13;33;08 - 00;13;34;15
When you’re talking about Charles City.

00;13;34;15 - 00;13;37;15
So for all of the folks
who listen to me down in Charles City,

00;13;37;25 - 00;13;41;08
right, the Truth Project,
they're going to be coming. Hey.

00;13;41;13 - 00;13;43;23
And they're going to be doing
the interviews in the area.

00;13;43;23 - 00;13;47;10
So, Michelle Johnson, talk a little bit
about what's going to happen

00;13;47;14 - 00;13;48;16
during these interviews.

00;13;48;16 - 00;13;51;16
And we're going to need you
to open your doors in Charles City County.

00;13;51;17 - 00;13;52;21
And thank you so much.

00;13;52;21 - 00;13;56;05
So one of the things the interviews
of course, they're online.

00;13;56;05 - 00;13;59;01
So you can go online
and you can complete the survey.

00;13;59;01 - 00;14;03;15
The goal is to have 1000 surveys
completed by the end of the year.

00;14;03;20 - 00;14;04;21
And Doctor Tossas,

00;14;04;21 - 00;14;07;16
correct me if I'm wrong,
but I think we're almost halfway there.

00;14;07;16 - 00;14;09;12
Correct? Yes we are.

00;14;09;12 - 00;14;10;07
So yeah.

00;14;10;07 - 00;14;14;00
So the goal is to complete
a thousand community surveys as,

00;14;14;01 - 00;14;18;22
Miss Johnson mentioned, we,
we are about 100,

00;14;18;24 - 00;14;23;13
443 surveys completed
and, the survey’s available online.

00;14;23;13 - 00;14;27;21
But also folks can call
to participate, as well,

00;14;27;22 - 00;14;32;24
because we are also going to the homes
of 150 individuals

00;14;32;24 - 00;14;36;04
that live within a four mile
radius of a certain area.

00;14;36;04 - 00;14;40;08
So to find out whether you qualify
to complete the interview

00;14;40;08 - 00;14;43;28
and receive the water test in your home,
yeah, you can call

00;14;43;28 - 00;14;49;13
804-495-1922.

00;14;49;13 - 00;14;54;26
804-495-1922.

00;14;55;03 - 00;14;58;21
Or folks can also go online
to access the survey.

00;14;58;21 - 00;14;59;03
As Ms.

00;14;59;03 - 00;15;08;19
Johnson mentioned
at MasseyCancerCenter.org/truth-project.

00;15;08;19 - 00;15;16;03
MasseyCancerCenter.org/truth-project.

00;15;17;16 - 00;15;18;20
Sister Clo...

00;15;18;20 - 00;15;20;12
Can I step in real quick, just real quick.

00;15;20;12 - 00;15;23;01
This is just to give a shout out
to all the people that's right here.

00;15;23;01 - 00;15;26;10
I want to say that this project,
most academic projects,

00;15;26;12 - 00;15;30;24
they come with,
you do some and then you gone.

00;15;30;24 - 00;15;33;24
What happens is
this is why we build up, you know,

00;15;33;24 - 00;15;36;24
that's why I understand why we have low
trust and mis-trust within our community.

00;15;36;24 - 00;15;40;19
So we come to comunities, like Charles
City, the academic, bright, shining face,

00;15;40;23 - 00;15;41;08
sort of.

00;15;41;08 - 00;15;43;04
We going to get this survey. So we do
we will write a paper.

00;15;43;04 - 00;15;45;21
There we go get a grant. Right.
And you never see them again.

00;15;45;21 - 00;15;46;18
See this.

00;15;46;18 - 00;15;47;23
Consistency.

00;15;47;23 - 00;15;49;27
Family this is personal up in this joint.

00;15;49;27 - 00;15;53;21
So for me I think Chief Adkins,
Miss Johnson, and others know

00;15;53;25 - 00;15;56;23
that beyond the scope of this grant,
we going to beat it.

00;15;56;23 - 00;16;00;20
And by the way, we may not be able to move
those environmental exposures,

00;16;00;26 - 00;16;03;24
but what we can do now is
we know that more prevention,

00;16;03;24 - 00;16;05;00
even though we have standards

00;16;05;00 - 00;16;08;11
across the country, the United States
Preventive Task Force guidelines,

00;16;08;22 - 00;16;12;05
this is the the ideal in which
we are actually saying to Charles City

00;16;12;11 - 00;16;14;23
that I understand
what those guidelines are,

00;16;14;23 - 00;16;17;25
but as a institution,
we're here to make sure you are helthy.

00;16;17;25 - 00;16;18;14
So if we can

00;16;18;14 - 00;16;22;04
move some of these environmental things,
then why are we screening you earlier?

00;16;22;10 - 00;16;24;15
Why are we actually making sure that.

00;16;24;15 - 00;16;25;25
Yes, we take care of you.

00;16;25;25 - 00;16;30;07
So what I want not missed in the Truth
Project is the real truth problem here is

00;16;30;07 - 00;16;34;22
this is not just the project,
but the truth is that we are doing

00;16;34;22 - 00;16;38;19
what cancer centers are supposed to do
when it's shared with people.

00;16;38;24 - 00;16;40;04
And that's beyond this grant.

00;16;40;04 - 00;16;42;19
We we've got the folks up in Charles
County

00;16;42;19 - 00;16;46;01
and everywhere else within our catchment,
but, you know, within the Commonwealth.

00;16;46;09 - 00;16;49;04
And you know, what's going to,
I hope will happen for folks

00;16;49;04 - 00;16;50;07
who are listening to this show.

00;16;50;07 - 00;16;53;07
And I'm going to make sure I get it out
on all of our social media as well.

00;16;53;14 - 00;16;57;11
If you are experiencing
something to that effect in your counties

00;16;57;19 - 00;17;01;17
or your rural areas and your towns
across the Commonwealth of Virginia,

00;17;01;24 - 00;17;04;19
do what
the Chickahominy Truth Project did.

00;17;04;19 - 00;17;07;19
They reached out
to the Massey Cancer Center,

00;17;07;23 - 00;17;11;11
and so we shouldn't have any reason to die

00;17;11;17 - 00;17;16;02
when we have this VCU Massey
Comprehensive Cancer Center.

00;17;16;07 - 00;17;19;16
And you have the director
who is a community doctor,

00;17;19;16 - 00;17;22;13
not only a pulmonologist,
but he is a researcher.

00;17;22;13 - 00;17;25;13
And the same thing for Doctor Tossas,
when we're looking in our brown,

00;17;25;20 - 00;17;30;03
black and brown folks
who don't trust the medical arena.

00;17;31;01 - 00;17;34;01
This is baby, baby
it can’t be said better.

00;17;34;14 - 00;17;36;15
Yeah. I mean.

00;17;36;15 - 00;17;37;02
You know,

00;17;37;02 - 00;17;39;28
I think it's significant, to note,
and this is Stephen Adkins, with what

00;17;39;28 - 00;17;41;12
Miss Johnson said.

00;17;41;12 - 00;17;42;07
You know, we've lost.

00;17;42;07 - 00;17;45;28
We've lost loved ones
who were at the end stage

00;17;46;23 - 00;17;51;11
and could have been helped
had we known, Doctor Winn at that time.

00;17;51;20 - 00;17;55;18
And also casual conversation, 
was taken seriously.

00;17;56;03 - 00;17;59;24
And Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
responded,

00;18;00;05 - 00;18;03;04
Doctor Tossas,
with with several of her colleagues.

00;18;03;14 - 00;18;07;08
And we sat at the table
and mapped out what this would look like.

00;18;08;02 - 00;18;10;28
We're going to interview 150 households,

00;18;10;28 - 00;18;15;06
and those interviews end up taking
maybe an hour because people get engaged.

00;18;15;06 - 00;18;18;06
So 60 times 150, look at the yeah,

00;18;18;13 - 00;18;21;13
at the manpower, people power
that's put behind this.

00;18;21;26 - 00;18;26;17
But in that
that trust is continually, built.

00;18;26;17 - 00;18;30;04
I mean, the folks gain more trust.

00;18;30;04 - 00;18;31;10
These guys are serious.

00;18;31;10 - 00;18;35;03
I care, they care about me,
and they want to hear my opinions.

00;18;35;03 - 00;18;38;23
All of why I'm here
and how we can move forward.

00;18;39;06 - 00;18;41;29
So it helps understand
the cancer experiences

00;18;43;04 - 00;18;43;12
and the

00;18;43;12 - 00;18;46;28
perceived risk, because what we perceive
is our truth.

00;18;47;06 - 00;18;49;09
Yeah. And. Oh, that does it.

00;18;49;09 - 00;18;49;29
Yeah, yeah.

00;18;49;29 - 00;18;54;16
So, you know, this,
this community aspect, Clovia, that you,

00;18;54;16 - 00;18;58;11
that you continue to bring up, that's
what this is all about.

00;18;58;11 - 00;19;00;07
All about chief.

00;19;00;07 - 00;19;00;16
Yeah.

00;19;00;16 - 00;19;03;16
I also wanted to add that
I think another powerful,

00;19;03;18 - 00;19;08;26
powerful thing about this project is that
because we are led by their guidance,

00;19;09;13 - 00;19;13;09
you know, we do not go into the homes
of the community member

00;19;13;09 - 00;19;14;27
without someone from the community.

00;19;14;27 - 00;19;16;03
So part of this project,

00;19;16;03 - 00;19;20;06
which I do in partnership with Doctor
Maria Thompson, as well

00;19;20;06 - 00;19;23;18
who is a qualitative researcher
and the complementary to my quantitative

00;19;24;07 - 00;19;27;01
side, we actually train and,

00;19;27;01 - 00;19;30;02
you know, invite and train
community members to join us as well.

00;19;30;02 - 00;19;32;00
We're calling health brigadiers

00;19;32;00 - 00;19;34;05
and they are training
qualitative interviewing.

00;19;34;05 - 00;19;38;11
So they come in with us in the household
to conduct this in-depth interview.

00;19;38;25 - 00;19;43;06
And so as part of that, you know, we are
we are co-learning alongside them.

00;19;43;15 - 00;19;45;05
And these are also skills.

00;19;45;05 - 00;19;46;09
Are these committee members,

00;19;46;09 - 00;19;50;21
you know, if they if they so choose,
they can utilize for our other purposes.

00;19;50;21 - 00;19;52;20
We have engaged with high school students.

00;19;52;20 - 00;19;56;11
Miss Johnson, again,
you know, connected us with,

00;19;56;11 - 00;19;58;01
you know, the school superintendent.

00;19;58;01 - 00;20;01;06
We have gone into the high schools
to engage with high school students.

00;20;01;06 - 00;20;04;15
And we also hope Doctor Winn talks about
because he you know, he always, like

00;20;04;19 - 00;20;07;19
I said is better
we're playing chess not checkers

00;20;07;26 - 00;20;11;29
when we think about, you know, working
alongside the community was more one

00;20;11;29 - 00;20;15;19
and two and three and four of
what is the continuation of this.

00;20;15;22 - 00;20;18;12
Part of the continuation of this is, yes,
this is a project.

00;20;18;12 - 00;20;20;00
The idea that came from the community

00;20;20;00 - 00;20;22;23
and what they're interested in
is in researching.

00;20;22;23 - 00;20;23;16
Right.

00;20;23;16 - 00;20;27;14
But after this,
how do we continue to engage and align

00;20;27;14 - 00;20;32;05
with the direction that, you know, folks
like Miss Johnson and, you know,

00;20;32;05 - 00;20;37;17
Chief Adkins and, you know, the,
the health district director want to move

00;20;37;26 - 00;20;41;01
to push the health
of the community forward.

00;20;41;26 - 00;20;45;00
So I, I also,
I'm curious about Miss Johnson for her

00;20;45;00 - 00;20;49;10
to share some of the initiatives
that are going on in her community,

00;20;49;10 - 00;20;53;03
because I found that really fascinating
recently during a community meeting

00;20;53;07 - 00;20;54;01
where she told us

00;20;54;01 - 00;20;57;25
everything that's going on, in the county
that they're putting together.

00;20;57;28 - 00;21;01;04
Well, you know what, Doctor Tossas,
we want to hold that thought

00;21;01;10 - 00;21;03;08
because we're going to take a break
and come on back.

00;21;03;08 - 00;21;06;02
And we want to hear from Michelle Johnson
talking abouta ll they are

00;21;07;11 - 00;21;09;17
doing in the community of Charles City.

00;21;09;17 - 00;21;12;17
This is Community Conversations.

00;21;12;22 - 00;21;14;25
This is Community Conversations.

00;21;14;25 - 00;21;19;12
I am Community Clo, and we are talking
about the Chickahominy Truth Project.

00;21;19;12 - 00;21;22;12
And of course, you know, I hang out
with the doctors and the researchers.

00;21;22;14 - 00;21;25;12
Doctor
Robert Winn, we're back on the show,

00;21;25;12 - 00;21;27;04
we want people to see the doctor.

00;21;27;04 - 00;21;29;16
We want people to be a part of the survey.

00;21;29;16 - 00;21;32;22
And, you know, I'm gonna be real
with black and brown folks, right?

00;21;33;05 - 00;21;36;05
Some things
you just can't put salve on it.

00;21;36;06 - 00;21;39;06
Take it from me, Doctor Winn.

00;21;39;29 - 00;21;42;29
Them days of Vicks VapoRub are over.

00;21;43;00 - 00;21;46;00
Are you serious?

00;21;46;25 - 00;21;48;26
They over, but I will.

00;21;48;26 - 00;21;51;28
I will throw this over to the Chief, cause
I can get in no more trouble.

00;21;52;03 - 00;21;53;24
I know you gotta give it to the Chief.

00;21;53;24 - 00;21;54;29
Chief Adkins. Let's go.

00;21;55;29 - 00;21;57;24
I just
want to thank you for the opportunity

00;21;57;24 - 00;22;02;03
to be here and just,
you raising up the community concept.

00;22;02;03 - 00;22;03;26
That's what it's all about.

00;22;03;26 - 00;22;08;25
And now the Massey Cancer Comprehensive
Center is part of this community.

00;22;09;13 - 00;22;13;03
Charles City County and the Chickahominy
tribe just welcome you.

00;22;13;17 - 00;22;15;00
And we're glad you're here.

00;22;15;00 - 00;22;17;23
And we're glad you're helping us uncover.

00;22;17;23 - 00;22;21;03
Oh, dispel some of those myths
that existed in the community

00;22;21;20 - 00;22;25;03
and accept some of the truths
that exists in the community.

00;22;25;03 - 00;22;27;21
And that's mistrust based on.

00;22;27;21 - 00;22;30;21
The horrible history that we have had

00;22;31;05 - 00;22;36;10
been treated by the dominant culture
in ways that weren't that effective.

00;22;36;10 - 00;22;37;28
And then using us as guinea pigs.

00;22;37;28 - 00;22;41;00
So and so, so to bridge that mistrust

00;22;41;24 - 00;22;46;18
and for our folks to gain confidence
that you guys mean what you say.

00;22;46;26 - 00;22;47;05
Yeah.

00;22;47;05 - 00;22;50;05
And you hear their best interests at heart
and willing

00;22;50;06 - 00;22;53;06
to listen to us versus talk down to us.

00;22;53;20 - 00;22;57;28
So I'm just very thankful
that this relationship has developed

00;22;58;17 - 00;23;01;18
as I said, it's going to be good
for the Chickahominy Indian tribe.

00;23;01;18 - 00;23;03;29
It's going to be good
for the whole Charles City community.

00;23;03;29 - 00;23;08;04
And I believe it'll radiate
across the Commonwealth and beyond.

00;23;08;07 - 00;23;12;29
And absolutely, Chief Adkins, thank you
so much for everything that you said.

00;23;13;05 - 00;23;15;06
But, you know, with Doctor
Winn at the helm,

00;23;15;06 - 00;23;16;27
we're going to start in Charles
City County.

00;23;16;27 - 00;23;19;19
We got to do every county,
every city in the Commonwealth.

00;23;19;19 - 00;23;23;10
And guess what world
we're coming to you definitely.

00;23;23;14 - 00;23;25;07
Thank you for all you do.

00;23;25;07 - 00;23;28;01
And, Michelle Johnson,
I want you to come on over to talk

00;23;28;01 - 00;23;31;01
about some of the community, work
that you're doing.

00;23;31;05 - 00;23;32;09
Thanks so much, Clovia.

00;23;32;09 - 00;23;34;19
So a lot of the things,
a lot of things are just,

00;23;34;19 - 00;23;37;05
you know, happening in the community.
Right?

00;23;37;05 - 00;23;39;24
So right now we're partnered
with Virginia Department of Health.

00;23;39;24 - 00;23;42;22
They're actually doing a community
health survey.

00;23;42;22 - 00;23;45;21
Because one of the things that we know,
we have a cancer problem

00;23;45;21 - 00;23;48;17
and we have all the internal disease,
but how much?

00;23;48;17 - 00;23;50;22
And so we're just looking to just

00;23;50;22 - 00;23;54;12
develop strategies and strengthen
our community from a health perspective.

00;23;54;20 - 00;23;57;20
You know, one thing that Doctor
Winn and Doctor Tossas don’t realize,

00;23;57;27 - 00;24;02;05
and Clovia, as well as you when you come
Charles City County, you become a partner.

00;24;02;05 - 00;24;03;08
Now you all a family.

00;24;03;08 - 00;24;08;12
Yes, we are so so one day you're not.

00;24;08;12 - 00;24;09;20
One family gets together.

00;24;09;20 - 00;24;13;04
We're all just pulling rolling up
our sleeves, you know, and looking at

00;24;13;12 - 00;24;16;11
how can we do prevention
and how can we do screening?

00;24;16;11 - 00;24;18;14
How can we have quality health care?

00;24;18;14 - 00;24;22;09
I mean, when you talk about quality
health care across the nation,

00;24;22;12 - 00;24;25;29
the first thing that comes our mind is VCU
and the Massey Cancer Center.

00;24;25;29 - 00;24;27;10
Like they are the leaders.

00;24;27;10 - 00;24;31;04
So to know that we have the
the gurus in our community

00;24;31;10 - 00;24;34;12
not only saying what they're doing,
but doing what they're saying.

00;24;34;12 - 00;24;36;22
Yeah.
So that makes a difference, you know?

00;24;36;22 - 00;24;38;23
And so in Charles City County,

00;24;38;23 - 00;24;42;22
our community is eager
and excited about the Truth Project.

00;24;42;27 - 00;24;46;15
And just looking at how all of us,
you know, black and brown people, how

00;24;46;15 - 00;24;50;04
we can get together and conquer
the diseases that's out there.

00;24;50;09 - 00;24;53;10
And what better place to start
than in Charles City County.

00;24;53;10 - 00;24;56;26
In Charles City County, population 6900.

00;24;56;26 - 00;24;58;07
Right, Michelle?

00;24;58;07 - 00;24;58;29
Correct.

00;24;58;29 - 00;25;01;23
This is a community led the Truth Project.

00;25;01;23 - 00;25;08;21
You can learn more, go to
MasseyCancerCenter.org/truth-project.

00;25;08;26 - 00;25;14;11
That's
MasseyCancerCenter.org/truth-project.

00;25;14;15 - 00;25;18;22
And if you would like to be a part
of any surveys, as Doctor Tossas

00;25;18;22 - 00;25;23;25
said, call 804-495-1922.

00;25;23;26 - 00;25;27;09
That's 804-495-1922.

00;25;27;13 - 00;25;29;09
Now you know how we do this thing.

00;25;29;09 - 00;25;33;13
Before we go, Doctor Tossas, you got to
leave our listeners with some good news

00;25;34;29 - 00;25;36;00
as well.

00;25;36;00 - 00;25;39;10
So let me tell you, I think that the
the good news here is the following.

00;25;39;19 - 00;25;42;28
Use your like we say in Spanish Viva Peru.

00;25;43;07 - 00;25;44;28
Put it on your chest for sure.

00;25;44;28 - 00;25;46;03
Use your best paper.

00;25;46;03 - 00;25;49;03
That's important. But also go.

00;25;49;11 - 00;25;50;14
Come to your doctor.

00;25;50;14 - 00;25;53;27
Come over to the VCU Massey
Cancer Center and talk to us.

00;25;53;28 - 00;25;55;05
You know, like right.

00;25;55;05 - 00;25;57;12
We're going to work alongside you.

00;25;57;12 - 00;25;59;10
We're going to learn together.

00;25;59;10 - 00;26;02;08
And, you know, combat
this disease is in our community.

00;26;02;08 - 00;26;05;04
And I wanted to do so participate
in the Truth Project.

00;26;05;04 - 00;26;09;07
But also, you know, again,
ask questions of your doctor,

00;26;09;07 - 00;26;13;20
you know, bring us along so that we can
again, as I think this is attributed

00;26;13;20 - 00;26;17;07
to Stephen Covey, at some point, change
happens at the speed of trust.

00;26;17;14 - 00;26;19;19
And so let's build trust together.

00;26;19;19 - 00;26;21;01
That's right. That's what it's all about.

00;26;21;01 - 00;26;24;01
As we address
the generations of medical mistrust,

00;26;24;06 - 00;26;27;28
build trustworthy,
equitable partnership, share findings

00;26;27;28 - 00;26;32;14
and ways of integrating the Chickahominy’s
traditional knowledge system.

00;26;32;14 - 00;26;33;18
And that's what it's all about.

00;26;33;18 - 00;26;36;09
It's time for us to be one family,
one family.

00;26;36;09 - 00;26;38;19
Free and curative cancer.

00;26;38;19 - 00;26;43;07
So you know, doctor,
when you go to help it on up before we go.

00;26;43;23 - 00;26;45;05
You know, Sis, you know what's up.

00;26;45;05 - 00;26;49;21
And one, I just want to say,
I am grateful to you and everything

00;26;49;21 - 00;26;53;12
that you do with bringing the message out
not only to the Commonwealth of Virginia,

00;26;53;12 - 00;26;56;28
but throughout the country, for standing
shoulder to shoulder that know

00;26;56;28 - 00;27;00;29
that we can't make moves without education
you without communication.

00;27;00;29 - 00;27;02;11
So I want to appreciate you.

00;27;02;11 - 00;27;04;11
And like Fat Joe said.

00;27;04;11 - 00;27;08;03
And Remey Ma, look nothing could stop us.

00;27;08;03 - 00;27;10;16
We all. The way up.
You know what I'm saying?

00;27;10;16 - 00;27;12;10
At we gonna stay up.

00;27;12;10 - 00;27;12;27
All right, y’all.

00;27;12;27 - 00;27;16;13
So this has been Community Conversations.

00;27;16;13 - 00;27;18;06
I am Community Clo.

00;27;18;06 - 00;27;18;25
That's right.

00;27;18;25 - 00;27;21;22
We're doing no white coats,
no co-pays at all.

00;27;21;22 - 00;27;23;02
Thank you. And God bless you