Moffitt Cancer Center presented with the 2024 Florida Equity, Equality & Justice Influencer Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jennie Kroeger

jkroeger@leadershipflorida.org

(850) 556-2123

June 24, 2024

LEADERSHIP FLORIDA PRESENTS MOFFITT CANCER CENTER WITH THE 2024 FLORIDA EQUITY, EQUALITY & JUSTICE INFLUENCER AWARD

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Leadership Florida presented Moffitt Cancer Center with the 2024 Florida Equity, Equality & Justice Influencer Award at its Annual Meeting in Charlotte Harbor earlier this month.

The Florida Equity, Equality & Justice Influencer Award recognizes a business or nonprofit organization that has demonstrated leadership in equity, equality and justice by changing their company, community or Florida.

“We are proud to recognize the important work being done by Moffitt Cancer Center,” said Wendy Spencer, president and CEO of Leadership Florida. “Their efforts not only in healthcare but also in the equity, equality and justice spaces serve as a model for others who aim to create positive change in our society and improve lives.”

Since 1999, Moffitt Cancer Center has integrated health equity and high-quality cancer treatment outcomes. Starting with outreach to migrant farmworker communities through mammography screenings, Moffitt expanded its efforts with the creation of the Taskforce to Address Diversity. This led to the establishment of a formal diversity, equity, and inclusion office in 2003.

Over the past 20 years, Moffitt has earned national recognition for research in health disparities, focusing on barriers to care and improving outcomes. Initiatives include developing a Bloodless Medicine process, funding the George Edgecomb Society for cancer disparities in the Black community, creating the COLORs education curriculum for LGBTQ+ care and partnering with the Ponce School of Medicine on Hispanic cancer disparities research.

“While cancer does not discriminate, its impact on people experiencing poverty, people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities and the LGBTQ+ community can be disproportionate due to fear, lack of access, low health literacy and barriers to other health-related needs,” said Merritt Martin, chief of staff for Moffitt Cancer Center and a graduate of Leadership Florida’s Connect Class 7. “Our leadership recognizes that achieving our mission to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer means that we must address the needs of all segments of our community.”

Moffitt has won numerous awards and recognitions for its diversity efforts, including the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award and the American Public Health Association’s 2023 Research-to-Practice Award. DiversityInc has recognized the center as one of the Top 10 Leaders in Health Care and Health Systems for six consecutive years. The Human Rights Campaign has also recognized the center as a Leader in LBGTQ Healthcare Equality since 2012.

“[Moffitt] emphasizes diversity and inclusion in its workforce as a core component of its health equity strategy,” said Martin. “This commitment extends across all aspects of the center's operations, ensuring that diverse perspectives contribute to achieving its mission. As a result, the center's team reflects the diversity of its patients and community, crucial for promoting health equity.”

About Leadership Florida

For the past 42 years, Leadership Florida has engaged more than 3,500 leaders through a competitive application process who represent all sectors of Florida’s economy and reflect the diverse demographics of the state. Through experiential classes, these leaders renew their leadership skills and build their networks with the goal of addressing key issues facing the state of Florida. For more information, visit www.leadershipflorida.org. Leadership Florida is a federally registered trademark.

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