Expanding Access to Stomach Cancer Information & Resources
Access to trusted health information and care can depend on many factors, including where someone lives, the language they speak, financial circumstances, transportation, and access to healthcare professionals.
REACH — Resources for Education, Access, and Community Health — is a Debbie’s Dream Foundation initiative designed to help reduce these barriers. Through accessible education, community outreach, navigation resources, and efforts to improve access to early detection, REACH connects people with information and support that can help them make informed decisions about their health.
By bringing resources into communities and making information easier to find, understand, and use, DDF is working to help more people access the knowledge and support they need.
Why Access Matters
Finding reliable health information and navigating healthcare can be difficult. For some people, those challenges are compounded by limited access to specialists, language barriers, transportation, cost, insurance concerns, or a lack of educational resources that meet their needs.
REACH helps address these practical barriers by connecting people with education, navigation tools, community resources, and opportunities to learn more about stomach cancer prevention and early detection.
How REACH Connects Communities With Resources
R — Resources
REACH helps connect patients, families, and communities with practical resources that can make navigating stomach cancer information and care easier.
DDF is working to expand navigation resources related to healthcare access, financial barriers, specialists, and early detection so people have clearer pathways to the information and support they need.
[Explore the Resource Library →]
E — Education
Reliable information should be understandable and accessible.
Through REACH, DDF is expanding educational resources about stomach cancer risk, prevention, early detection, genetic risk, nutrition, and other topics that can help people make informed decisions about their health.
Educational materials are also being developed in multiple languages and formats to help information reach more people and communities.
[Explore Translated Resources →]
A — Access
Knowing that a resource exists is only helpful if people can reach it.
REACH focuses on practical barriers that can make healthcare more difficult to navigate, including cost, insurance, transportation, language, geography, and access to appropriate healthcare services.
DDF is working to develop resources and connections that help people better understand their options and navigate what may come next.
CH — Community Health
REACH brings stomach cancer information beyond traditional healthcare settings and into communities.
Through health fairs, community events, educational programming, volunteer outreach, and relationships with community organizations, DDF is working to meet people where they are and make trusted information easier to access.
[Explore DDF Educational Programs →]
Bringing Trusted Information Into Communities
Access begins with meeting people where they are.
REACH supports DDF’s efforts to participate in community resource fairs, health fairs, cultural gatherings, and other awareness activities. DDF also works to equip volunteers with educational resources they can share within their own communities.
This approach helps extend DDF’s reach beyond the people who already know where to find stomach cancer information and creates new opportunities to connect individuals and families with trusted resources.
Bring REACH to Your Community
Are you involved with a community organization, healthcare organization, health fair, faith community, workplace, or local event?
Connect with DDF to learn more about educational resources, community outreach, and opportunities to help bring stomach cancer awareness and information to the people you serve.
Information in More Languages
Language should not stand between someone and important health information.
REACH supports DDF’s work to expand plain-language, culturally responsive, and multilingual educational resources. Current program plans include materials in Spanish, Creole, Japanese, Korean, and additional languages as resources are developed.
[Explore Translated Resources →]
Improving Access to Early Detection
Knowing when additional evaluation may be appropriate is only one part of early detection. People also need to be able to navigate where to go and how to access care.
Through REACH, DDF is working to develop resources that make this process easier to understand, including tools related to accessing endoscopy and navigating potential financial barriers.
[Learn About Stomach Cancer Early Detection →]
Education for More People, in More Places
REACH also supports educational programming designed to make stomach cancer information more accessible and relevant to different communities.
Through webinars, podcasts, educational videos, and other resources, DDF brings together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and experts to address topics that can affect access to information and care.
Featured Resource: Diversity in Clinical Trials
Clinical research is most meaningful when it reflects the people who may ultimately benefit from new discoveries. Learn more about representation in clinical trials and why participation from diverse communities matters through DDF educational resources featuring stomach cancer experts.
[Watch Diversity in Clinical Trials →]
[Watch Practicing Cultural Humility in the Delivery of Cancer Care →]
Reaching Communities With Specific Needs
REACH also creates opportunities for DDF to develop education and outreach around the needs of specific communities.
This includes DDF’s work to increase awareness of H. pylori and stomach cancer prevention among military and veteran communities, along with broader efforts to help people understand stomach cancer risk and opportunities for earlier intervention.
[Learn About H. pylori →]
[Explore DDF’s Advocacy Priorities →]
Connecting People With What Comes Next
REACH reflects a simple idea: information and resources are most valuable when people can actually access and use them.
By connecting education, community outreach, navigation, and early-detection resources, Debbie’s Dream Foundation is working to help more people find trusted information and take informed next steps for their health.
[Explore Digestive Health Resources →]
[Find Patient & Caregiver Resources →]
[Get Involved →]