December 16, 2010

VICC’s Bates lands education award

VICC’s Bates lands education award

Sheila Bates, community outreach manager in Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center's Office of Patient and Community Education, has been named the Rural Health Worker of the Year by the Rural Health Association of Tennessee.

Sheila Bates

Sheila Bates

Bates was nominated for her work in the development of the “Cancer Queens! A Cancer Prevention Musical Revue.”

The live “edutainment” program is designed to inform women about healthy lifestyle habits.

The revue includes performances by Vanderbilt employees and features lively and humorous messages about diet, exercise and sun protection. Since 2008, the program has reached 4,000 women in 21 Tennessee counties.

“Based on the feedback from our audiences, I truly believe this approach to health education is a beneficial and effective way to deliver the message about maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Bates said.