Cancer Conference Focuses on Accessibility of Care

Health officials say that the region has more resources for treatment than people realize.

MOORHEAD, MN – The 2025 Cancer Conference was held Friday, May 16, on the M State campus.

This year’s theme was navigating barriers to local cancer care equity and access.

The goal of the conference is to highlight the systemic, geographic, and cultural obstacles to getting cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to everyone who needs it.

Matt Flory with the American Cancer Society says that one misconception patients have is the need to travel long distance when seeking to join clinical trials for alternate treatments.

“It’s a common misconception that if you are interested in finding those alternative treatments because maybe the existing treatment just isn’t working for you, it’s not very promising, you’re going to have to travel a long way,” said Flory.

“One of the things we wanted to make sure that people realized is there are opportunities to enroll in these studies here with Essentia, with Sanford, very close to home.”

Melissa Buffalo, the CEO of the American Indian Cancer Foundation, served as this year’s keynote speaker.

Her organization launched nationally recognized, culturally tailored cancer prevention programs and strengthened tribal partnerships.