Diane Martins, Professor in the College of Nursing, is involved in several initiatives to prevent and detect skin and oral cancers. Martins serves on the executive board of The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island. The Partnership is an interdisciplinary team who provides input in planning and implementing services and programs to promote comprehensive cancer control. The Partnership is composed of professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers, epidemiologists, and public health/community workers. This team of experts works together through education and advocacy programs, utilizing research evidence, and ensuring access to care, prevention, screenings, treatment and support services. The Partnership allies with the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program on the Rhode Island’s Cancer Prevention and Control Strategic Plan.

Martins’ primary role in the Partnership is to educate professionals and the lay person regarding cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship. Her main initiatives relate to: skin cancer prevention, increasing referral for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students worked with the RI Department of Health and state legislators to put restrictions on tanning beds. This project required her student to pinpoint an issue related to cancer and how it relates to the health of Rhode Islanders, as well as identify the team necessary to assure tanning beds were not being used by minors without parental consent. Her student had the opportunity to work with the American Cancer Society: Rhode Island, The RI Department of Health and legislators. This type of opportunity allows students to understand the roles and responsibilities of different professions needed to shape policy, as well as how to communicate with both health and non-health professionals. These advocacy efforts bring light to ethical concerns around allowing minors to use tanning salons.  This past June, Rhode Island’s General Assembly passed a bill banning minors from indoor tanning.

Martins, and volunteers including DNP students, Brown University Dermatology Students, and the RI Department of Health conduct skin cancer screening at local Rhode Island Beaches, which is sponsored by the Channel 10 News. In just 2.5 hours this team screened 77 people. For anyone with suspicious skin lesions they are able to provide them information needed for assessment. Martins describes the afternoon as “all hands-on deck,” where students learn to work together to assure everyone gets a screening, education and referral they need.

In addition to preventing and screening for skin cancer, Martins and Pat Stout, a DNP student, along with the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, are working with legislators to help increase HPV vaccine uptake. Given the relationship with HPV and oral cancer, they are working to educate dental hygienists to identify oral cancers earlier.