Corene Davis Graham Cancer Telethon

2025 Event Information

Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Location: Wilda Marston Theater, Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street

Join us for the Corene Davis Graham Cancer Telethon, an inspiring event dedicated to honoring cancer survivors and educating and promoting cancer prevention initiatives. Focused on chronic disease prevention and early intervention outreach, this telethon aims to engage marginalized communities in essential screenings while providing accessible programming that promotes healthy eating, exercise, and overall well-being. Your support can make a difference in improving access to essential care—don’t miss out on this opportunity to be part of the change!

Our desire is for Black Alaskans to be healthy and well in every way a person can be well. This program aims to celebrate cancer survivors and bring awareness to National Cancer Survivors Month.

About Corene Elizabeth
Davis Graham

Corene was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, auntie, friend and mentor to many. She enjoyed cooking, entertaining, traveling, and helping others. She deeply cared for her community, especially her church family where she took pride and pleasure in singing in the Senior Choir every fifth Sunday. Corene served on several committees and participated in various organizations. She served in various houses under Prince Hall Affiliation for Women: Daughter of Al Hejaz Court 3 Daughters of Isis PHA; Loyal Lady for Order of the Golden Circle and Sister for Order of Eastern Star. She was an active member until 2017 although she had been living out of state for a number of years.

Growing up Corene was a member of Mill Branch Baptist Church and joined New Hope Baptist Church in Anchorage. When she returned to Whiteville in 1999, she joined Central Missionary Baptist Church where she faithfully served until the Lord called her home. Worshiping onSundays was the best day of her week. It allowed her a chance to connect with other Christians while praising the Lord. She loved giving God her best to include wearing the finest Sunday outfits with matching shoes, hats and accessories.

She leaves behind to cherish loving memories: her husband Ellis Graham of Whiteville, North Carolina; son, Tony Davis of Anchorage, Alaska; daughters, Celeste Hodge Growden (Alan) of Anchorage, Alaska; and Nadena Graham of Whiteville, North Carolina; two brothers Roscoe Davis (Frances) of Glen Burnie Maryland; and Walter Davis who proceeded her in death; one sister Beatrice Dunbar who preceded her in death; three grandchildren, Celeisa Hodge (Andre Purge) of Anchorage, Alaska; Celeina Hoffman (Justin) of Chugiak, Alaska; Faith Graham of Whiteville, North Carolina; and one great granddaughter, Hailee Hoffman of Chugiak, Alaska; a host of in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends such as Daniel Curtis Hill of Whiteville, NC.

2025

Partners & Sponsors

2024

2024 Speakers

**Dr. Manoj Menon** serves as the Director of Clinical Education at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium. He has a research interest in health disparities and conducts research with colleagues via the Fred Hutch’s collaboration with the Uganda Cancer Institute. He serves as the Section Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Harborview Medical Center – a comprehensive healthcare facility dedicated to providing care for a broad spectrum of patients from throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the most vulnerable residents of King County.

**Chief Bianca Cross** took office on April 29, 2024. She began her law enforcement career in 1997 when she joined APD as a recruit in the Academy. Over the course of her 26-plus-year career at APD, she has worked as a patrol officer and supervisor, a burglary detective in the Property Crimes Detective Division, a sexual assault detective in the Special Victims Unit, a homicide detective and supervisor in the Homicide Unit, and a commander of the Violent Crimes Detective Division.

Dr. Vida Henderson is a behavioral scientist and Assistant Professor in the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutch Cancer Center. She is also the Deputy Associate Director for the Cancer Consortium’s Office for Community Outreach and Engagement. Her research focuses on health services utilization along the cancer continuum, particularly in underserved populations and high-risk communities. An expert in minority and gender cancer inequities, health communication and community-engaged research, her goal is to improve cancer inequities by exploring multi-level associations between social determinants of health and physical and behavioral outcomes. Dr. Henderson received her PhD in Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago, a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Public Health from University of Michigan and a Master of Fine Arts from Queens University of Charlotte.

Dr. Henderson’s current work is largely focused on using storytelling techniques in multi-media video interventions to educate audiences and facilitate clinical decision-making. She is currently leading an NCI-funded randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a culturally tailored decision aid video promoting genetic counseling and testing among Black women with a hereditary risk for breast cancer; her team also developedthe tool. She is also co-leading studies funded by the American Cancer Society and the V Foundation to develop digital media aimed at increasing awareness and facilitating decision making about clinical trial participation among Black patients diagnosed with breast cancer and among Black communities. Her past work focused on developing patient navigation programs for uninsured and underinsured individuals to increase access to cancer screenings in community health clinics. Health equity, inclusion, and representation are central to Dr. Henderson’s work.