SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPERTS AT WCH
A new cancer screening toolkit, developed by Master of Public Health candidate Sanjana Jones, is helping advance Women’s College Hospital’s commitment to health equity for Black women. Sanjana recently completed a student practicum at Women’s College Hospital while pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, specializing in Black and women’s health. During her time at WCH, Sanjana developed a toolkit for WCH’sannual breast and cervical cancer screening event for Black women. This project is one of many initiatives that supports the hospital’s Black Health Plan.
Sanjana reflected on her time at Women’s and her hopes for the future.
Tell us about yourself – What are your academic goals and aspirations?
I’m a Master of Public Health student specializing in Black and Women’s health. My graduate program requires a 16-week practicum focused on Black populations, supervised by a Black professional. When I saw that Women’s College Hospital was offering a practicum on a toolkit, I jumped at the chance—the project directly aligned with topics I’m passionate about.
My research interests focus on improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes for Black and South Asian women, a passion that stems from a personal family experience with reproductive cancer. This work directly aligns with my goal of becoming an OB/GYN and working with women of colour to reduce health inequities.
Tell us a little about what you are currently working on at WCH
My main project is a toolkit for our annual breast and cervical cancer screening event for Black women. We try to do as many Pap tests and mammograms as possible in a single day. We create a welcoming, celebratory atmosphere with good music and food, because for many of these women, it’s their first time ever getting these vital tests.
Our goal is to rebuild trust with communities that have historically had a difficult relationship with the healthcare system. We also break down barriers to access by providing bus passes, parking passes, and language interpreters. We make sure the event is open to everyone, regardless of health insurance or whether they have a family doctor.
Since other organizations have reached out wanting to replicate our event, I’m building a guide or instruction manual for them. It’s truly amazing to create something that has the potential to save lives and could one day be used across the province – and even the country.
What do you enjoy most about the project?
What I enjoy most is the collaborative aspect. We work with so many different teams, including an advisory committee of approximately 15 external members, whose feedback is crucial. While I could create the toolkit on my own, it wouldn’t be relevant without the diverse perspectives of people from different backgrounds and neighborhoods. The commitment to community-based research is a core principle of public health. This work has taught me the importance of humility and respect when engaging with communities that have a historical distrust of the healthcare system. The only way to rebuild that is through genuine collaboration and open dialogue. My experience has shown me that there’s always more to learn from the people we aim to serve.
How did the WCH practicum support your academic and personal growth?
I’ve always been interested in women’s health, particularly in working with women of colour. This passion began with my aunt’s experience with reproductive cancer, but my time at WCH has broadened my perspective. It’s shown me that healthcare is about more than just clinical visits; it involves extensive behind-the-scenes work to ensure programs are effective and sustainable.
My work on the toolkit has confirmed my desire to pursue medicine and dedicate my career to improving the lives of Black and BIPOC women. It’s taught me the importance of empowerment and knowledge translation—it’s not enough to just give someone information. We have to empower them with the knowledge to take charge of their own health.
How do you envision yourself contributing to your community following your time at WCH?
As I near the end of my program, my desire to pursue medicine has only grown stronger. I’m especially interested in practicing in the Peel and GTA areas, where there are large and diverse Black populations. We need to practice cultural sensitivity and awareness to ensure we’re truly serving these communities. This means being mindful of things like religious beliefs or cultural stigmas that can impact a person’s willingness to get a Pap test or mammogram.
This practicum has also shown me that my work isn’t just about clinical care; it’s about influencing policy. The success of our event depends on policy decisions that ensure people can get to their appointments. I hope to leverage my public health and policy knowledge to improve the health of all my patients, with a focus on Black and BIPOC women.
Sanjana Jones plans on applying to medical school following the completion of her Master’s program. Her long-term goal is to work with women of colour to improve life expectancy and reduce health inequities in obstetrics and gynecology. She is passionate about addressing health disparities and inequities, particularly in maternal and reproductive care for Black and South Asian women. Her personal experience with a family member’s struggle with reproductive cancer fuels her commitment to this work.
Women’s College Hospital is committed to addressing inequities and advancing the health of Black communities through the Black Health Plan and related initiatives like the Black Women’s Healthcare Summit.
