Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Electronic Communications: Social Media
Silver
Cancer Questions is a short-form social media video program delivered directly by cancer experts (physicians, nurses and researchers) and designed to raise awareness and educate healthcare consumers about cancer risk and prevention. Delivered in weekly one-minute segments across multiple social media platforms, YouTube and also via podcast, each episode addresses one specific risk, screening, or prevention question. Since it's launch in January 2024, the series has more than 425,000 views across platforms.
What was the most impactful part of your entry?
We know that the best way to cure cancer is to prevent it from happening, followed closely by catching it early. We wanted to create a series with broad reach that would focus on practical, easy to understand, and targeted content. We needed to stay laser focused on risk and prevention, with specific questions that had potential actionable answers -- how and when should I get screened for colorectal cancer? Do wireless or bluetooth devices cause cancer? What's the connection between coffee and cancer? How do I know if I should do genetic testing for cancer risk?
We wanted to cut through the overwhelming amount of information and misinformation out there with trustworthy but concise information (always a challenge with academics) that could be consumed without a significant time commitment. That we have had such a large update - with more than 2.5 million viewers reached and approaching 500,000 total views/listens (including our secondary channels of YouTube and Podcasts) validates that we are having an impact and people are tuning in.
What challenge did you overcome?
You have to be ruthlessly focused and relentless in your pursuit. There was pressure at every stage to do other non-risk/non-prevention questions that would be sure to get clicks ("Is a lump a sign of cancer?" e.g.) but at each push to divert us from our focus, we kept driving back to the focus. The best thing we did -- while risky - was get all the videos shot (38 of them) before we released the first one. That took commitment from the team and it's not as if the rest of the work went away - so we needed to balance that.
Contact:
Michael Buller
Michael_Buller@dfci.harvard.edu