Chickahominy TRUTH Project

About the TRUTH Project

The Chickahominy TRUTH (Trust, Research, Understand, Tell, Heal) Project aims to better understand structural and individual-level contributors to cancer risk through evidence-based approaches informed by community intelligence. Chickahominy Tribal Leadership and VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center are working together to understand the cancer risk perceptions and experiences of Charles City County residents by conducting interviews and complimentary water testing in the homes of interested and eligible residents. Project results will be disseminated to Charles City County residents and will incorporate elements that honor the Traditional Knowledge system embedded in the Chickahominy tradition.

The TRUTH Project represents a commitment to build a Trustworthy, equitable partnership. Research structural, and individual-level contributors to cancer risks. Understand such risks using evidence-based approaches and community’s intelligence. Tell the findings in ways that integrate the Traditional Knowledge system embedded in the Chickahominy tradition. All towards collective Healing via truth seeking and truth telling.

This project will engage community volunteers as part of the TRUTH Project to:

• Conduct interviews in households that are within a 4-mile radius of the Chickahominy Tribal Center and with a history of a cancer diagnosed in a resident of that household within the last 20 years
• Understand the cancer experiences, perceived risks, exposures and access to care of the resident
• Collect a water sample for laboratory testing