CohnReznick to support American Cancer Society Housing Study

New York, NY – August 23, 2021 – CohnReznick LLP, one of the leading advisory, assurance, and tax firms in the United States, today announced that it is pledging $100,000 to help initiate a multi-year American Cancer Society (ACS) research study examining the impact of housing discrimination on cancer cases. With demographic data showing that cancer disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color, the study will explore the potential impact of housing discrimination on cancer risk and care, identifying actionable steps to address cancer disparities.

The ACS study, The Systemic and Biologic Impact of Housing Discrimination on Cancer Risk and Access to Cancer Care, will be fielded over a four-year period. It will leverage a multidisciplinary team of scientific and health system experts, a large, geographically and ethnically diverse population, and other specialists to explore the associations between housing discrimination and cancer risk including biologic, lifestyle, and socio-economic factors that may be contributing factors.

“We will be studying how many different aspects of a neighborhood environment – walkability, air pollution, even the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables – drive expected associations between housing discrimination and cancer,” notes Alpa Patel, PhD and ACS Senior Vice President, Population Science. “Once we identify actionable targets, we can best determine how community partners can help ‘solve the problem’.”

“CohnReznick has a long-standing commitment to our communities and to the ground-breaking work our clients do in affordable housing, clean energy, healthcare, government services, and so much more,” said David Kessler, CohnReznick Chief Executive Officer. “When our Not-for-Profit Industry Leader John Alfonso, who is currently serving as ACS Board Chair, brought this health equity study to my attention, and to the attention of our partners, we asked how we could help move it forward.”  Kessler adds, “Access to quality housing and quality healthcare are fundamental rights for everyone in our society. We are honored to be the first corporate sponsor for this critical study exploring the role housing plays in cancer risks.”

“CohnReznick’s support of this effort is key to its success,” said Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD, ACS Chief Executive Officer. “Collaboration and support from our business industry partners is critical and more quickly advances the fight against cancer while improving tangible, long-term outcomes for those in greatest need.”