History
Recognizing the need for prostate cancer control in Arkansas, six community leaders, who are all prostate cancer survivors, and a Medical Advisory Committee of physicians from around the state formed the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in 2000. The Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charity, has a mission to promote awareness, encourage timely detection and support improved treatment of prostate cancer in Arkansas.
Believing that all men in the state, regardless of disparities in cultural competence, financial resources or proximity to care should have access to information, diagnosis and treatment, APCF implemented its education and screening program in 2001, a model that has increased participation ever since by working with healthcare providers and community partners who are vested in men’s health. In 2006, the first regional prostate cancer support group located in Little Rock was added to the program model.
Three years later, three additional regional support groups located in Fayetteville, Ft. Smith and Jonesboro were also added. All of these groups, now known collectively as the Peer Network, provide confidential environments for diagnosed men to share about their experiences with prostate cancer. The Peer Network is ongoing with plans to grow into other areas in the future. Finally, the program model was expanded to include a Patient Navigation program and a Survivor Mentor program.
The Navigation program provides a trained professional navigator to guide individual men with suspicious prostate findings through the cancer care system from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, making sure that each man gets the resources and support he needs. The Survivor Mentor program connects newly diagnosed men one-on-one with a survivor who provides information and support.
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation is a proud participant in the National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions.
Sponsors
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Corporate Partners commit $20,000 or more annually in funding and donated goods and services. To learn more about becoming a corporate partner, please contact the Foundation office by phone (501) 379-8027 or at info@arprostatecancer.org.
Staff
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation’s staff manages the programs and services necessary to fulfill the organization’s mission.
Chris Collier
Executive Director
Chris Collier
Executive DirectorChris Collier joined the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in February 2019 as Executive Director, bringing over thirty years of experience in business, education, and non-profit leadership to the position. He has served on and chaired numerous nonprofit boards throughout central Arkansas. Professionally, he most recently served as the Director of Organizational Development for Arkansas Teacher Corps, a non-profit arm of the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
As APCF’s Executive Director, Chris has the experience and perspective to guide the organization as it continues to expand its depth and breadth across the state of Arkansas. He provides daily leadership for his staff and drives relationship building statewide and beyond with patients, supporters, and stakeholders. A frequent speaker and presenter, he leads various organizational and educational outreach activities. In addition, he oversees strategic planning initiatives in support of the continued growth and development of the foundation. Under his leadership, the APCF has expanded their services and reach to previously unserved areas of Arkansas, developed strategic partnerships with a large number of entities heretofore untapped, implemented new patient and donor databases for the first time in the foundation’s 20 year history, and installed streamlined technology capabilities to provide greater efficiencies. Chris was recently elected to the Arkansas Cancer Coalition’s (ACC) state board of directors and is a member of the National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions (NASPCC), attending their last national conference in Washington, D.C.
A native Arkansan raised in Hot Springs; Chris earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Hendrix College in Conway.
Chris has two sons and two grandsons. He and his wife, Brenda, live in Conway, Arkansas.
Jamie Moody
Director of Programs
Jamie Moody
Director of ProgramsJamie Moody joined the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation in July 2020 as the Director of Programs. Prior to joining APCF, Jamie worked in marketing and public relations for more than 15 years with various non-profit and for-profit entities in Arkansas, including most recently Dillards, Inc., in Corporate Advertising.
As the Director of Programs, Jamie develops and implements APCF’s education and early detection programs throughout the state while collaborating with existing corporate and organizational partners and sponsors for program implementation. She recruits, trains and supervises volunteers to assist with APCF’s educational programs and early detection screenings. She is responsible for finding and cultivating new educational collaboration partners for our programs.
Jamie completed her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Central Arkansas in 2003. She is an active member of the Little Rock Marathon Race Committee and has been on the Marathon’s Media Team since 2014. Jamie and her family live in Sherwood, Ark.
Cara Clements
Patient Navigator
Cara Clements
Patient NavigatorCara Clements is a Little Rock native and patient navigator for the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF). She has been helping men and their families for more than eight years. Cara earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences focused on Health Education and Promotion. After interning with the Arkansas Cancer Coalition, she realized cancer awareness and prevention is where she could help fellow Arkansans the most. In 2006, she had a much-loved swim coach pass away from prostate cancer, and this event has continued to motivate her to educate as many men as possible about the dangers of this disease.
In 2014, Cara attended the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute (HPFPNI) and received in-person training by the founder of patient navigation himself. Through the years at APCF, Cara has helped educate over 20,000 men statewide and annually assists more than 600 men through screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Support services, facilitated by Cara, men and their families build the ideal plan of care, are empowered to make informed decisions, and encouraged to share their story to help save men’s lives.
Cara has three young girls, and a loving husband, together they enjoy spending time outdoors as a family.
Gracie Brought
Office Administrator
Gracie Brought
Office AdministratorGracie Brought is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Her focus on education and good grades started early. In 2018, Gracie was named the valedictorian of her class at Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School.
Gracie has enjoyed her time with the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation where she assists with the organization’s public relations efforts and manages the organization’s donor database.
Creating a bucket list at an early age, Gracie hopes to visit all the islands in Greece and start her own fashion and apparel brand.