Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition used the GCC goals to organize their work and to guide the Workgroups. Each Workgroup focused on reaching one or more of the following goals.

• Prevent cancer and detect existing cancers earlier
• Improve access to quality care for all Georgians with cancer
• Save more lives in the future
• Train future cancer researchers and caregivers
• Realize economic benefits from eradicating cancer

The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition Workgroups included:

1. Access to Services
2. Business Development and Assistance
3. Faith Community
4. Hospital Based Oncology Services
5. Prevention
6. Research and Evaluation
7. Oncology and Primary Care
8. Organizational Structure
9. Survivor and Patient Support
10. Workforce Development

The workgroups represent the 10 major areas of work and planning for the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition. Workgroup members were recommended to represent the diversity of the region, including racial and geographic diversity, as well as relevant experience and backgrounds. Workgroup members dedicated approximately six hours per month to the work for about six months. Each workgroup was staffed and included a chairperson and up to twelve members. The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition coordinated the work and input of over 150 active participants in the planning process.

In addition to the workgroups, a staffing and leadership group was charged with developing functioning partnerships with medical and nursing schools, and with other university programs within the region and outside the region. To that end, Jim Hotz, MD, vice chairperson of the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition and the Chair of the Research and Evaluation Committee arranged an introductory meeting with Dr. James Curran, Dean of the Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) at Emory in January 2002 to discuss the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition interest in forming a partnership with the RSPH. After that introductory meeting, Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition appointed a leadership group to work with RSPH. Meetings were held by Dr. Jack Mandel, head of the RSPH Department of Epidemiology, and included researchers from the RSPH, clinicians from the Winship Cancer Institute, as well as the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition group to explore ideas and discuss needs and opportunities. These researchers and scholars worked directly with Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition to develop a useful research agenda and a partnership framework that could immediately be turned to action when the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition received funding through the GCC. The RSPH developed four collaborative research proposals to include in the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition application for Regional Program of Excellence designation in March 2003.

The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition proposal was submitted to the GCC in March 2003 and was reviewed by the GCC’s team of experts. The proposal was approved and Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition was designated as a Regional Program of Excellence . However, significant funding from the GCC has not been forthcoming. The Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition continues to function with in-kind resources, contributions from member organizations, as well as from a grant from a major business partner and small grants from the GCC and others.