Laughter, conversation, and a shared sense of purpose filled the Birmingham CrossPlex on September 25, 2025, as more than 65 community members, UAB faculty, and staff gathered for the annual CARES Center Meeting, a day focused on listening, learning, and building healthier futures together.
The CARES Center, which stands for Cancer Awareness, Research, Engagement, and Support, works to reduce cancer risk and improve health after cancer by addressing the physical, social, economic, and service environments that shape daily life. At the heart of this work is a commitment to partnering with communities across Alabama to develop and share evidence-based solutions.
Conversation and collaboration
The meeting kicked off with informal conversations and a warm welcome from Maria Pisu, Ph.D., CARES Center MPI, who emphasized the power of bringing researchers and community members into shared spaces. Real progress, she noted, happens when people listen to one another, ask questions, and act together toward shared goals. She then introduced keynote speaker Timiya Nolan, Ph.D., director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Nolan’s presentation, Citizen Science in Action: Research from the Inside Out, broke down how research works, what keeps it ethical, and how community members directly influence the direction and impact of scientific studies. Her talk inspired conversations and questions, energizing attendees for the day ahead.
The energy in the room shifted into a lively competition during the following session, Research Unplugged: Sharing Results that Matter. CARES investigators Patricia Ajayi-Fox, M.D.; Lori Bateman, Ph.D.; Chloe Taub, Ph.D.; Pauline Long, PharmD; and Nashira Brown, Ph.D. each had five minutes to present their completed research in a clear, creative, and community-friendly format.
Community attendees scored each presentation, focusing on creativity and clarity. The room filled with laughter and applause as attendees responded to each presentation, highlighting just how powerful research can be when it is accessible and co-created with the people it intends to serve.
By the end of the day, Patricia Ajayi-Fox, M.D., was named the winner, earning the highest score from community members for her engaging and memorable presentation on colon cancer screenings. Her approachable style, including a playful self-introduction as the “poop doctor,” helped demystify colonoscopies and sparked meaningful conversation about an important topic.
Building research with communities
The afternoon centered on elevating community voices through a two-part session, Building Research with Communities, which explored what matters most to Alabamians, and how those priorities shape stronger research and fundable ideas.
- Part 1, Your Voice, Your Vision, encouraged community members to discuss their local experiences, needs, and aspirations in an open forum.
- Part 2, From Listening to Grant Writing, demonstrated how CARES transforms community experiences into research proposals designed to secure support and make meaningful change.
Connecting with partners and resources
Between sessions, the CrossPlex remained lively as attendees connected with partner organizations, including Live HealthSmart Alabama, PinkTopps, Brenda’s Brown Bosom Buddies, MedsPLUS Consulting, Real Men Wear Pink, Prostate Cancer Awareness, and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. Attendees moved from booth to booth, exchanging ideas, picking up resources, and discovering new ways to stay engaged.
Live HealthSmart Alabama also offered free wellness screenings in the lobby, and the Mobile Market was available outside to provide attendees access to fresh, affordable produce.
As the day wrapped up, the CrossPlex was filled with a sense of momentum and shared purpose, ultimately strengthening partnerships and showing what’s possible when communities and researchers work together.
“At a time when we as seniors may feel forgotten, CARES reminded us that we are not,” said community member Valerie Hood. “The meeting provided a vast amount of information available to us in our community.”
That sense of connection and shared ownership is central to CARES’ mission, Pisu said.
“This was more than a meeting; it was a conversation that will shape future research and deepen our connection with the community,” said Pisu. “These exchanges ensure that our work reflects real-world challenges and opportunities.”
The CARES Center will continue building on these partnerships throughout the year, with the next annual meeting scheduled for Fall 2026.
