Moffitt Cancer Center partners with Florida Department of Agriculture

Tallahassee resident Joy Belanger considers the Moffitt Cancer Center her second home. Belanger was given four to six months to live after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007.

Every two weeks for a year, Belanger would drive four hours to Tampa to participate in every available clinical trial at Moffitt . Today, Belanger credits the center for her being cancer-free.

On Tuesday, Belanger was one of more than 80 volunteers present for the announcement of the center's partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as part of the 10th Annual Moffitt Day. The "Living Healthy in Florida" initiative provides tools to promote healthy living and cancer prevention.

The new partnership highlights cancer's impact on Floridians. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Florida, and the state ranks No. 2 in the United States for cancer incidence and mortality, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The announcement was made by Moffitt Cancer Center president and CEO Alan List and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The partnership has been in the works for a few years, List said, is in line with the center's mission.

"Working now with the commissioner and his department helps us raise awareness for the best ways to prevent cancer in Florida communities," List said. "What we bring to the table is that we can study things like this prospectively now - get data out of it. His office will be able to bring state awareness. He has people in just about every community that we can work with."

Putnam said joining with Moffitt is consistent with the Legislature's goal of creating a healthier state.

"Our partnership with Moffitt will take the 'Living Healthy in Florida' initiative to a new level, highlighting the center's expertise in cancer prevention and treatment," Putnam said in a press release. "Together, with partners like Moffitt, we can create healthier communities and reduce long-term health care costs associated with chronic disease."

Belanger believes the collaboration will benefit both people and the center.

"What we want to do is continue getting dollars into the Moffitt Cancer Center," said Belanger, 67. "They need money for research. People from everywhere come to Moffitt to get help and to get answers. We want to help continue the funding for the research."