This week, over 600 cancer survivors, patients and their families -- from almost every congressional district across the U.S. -- will go to Capitol Hill to ask Congress to take action, making the battle against cancer a national priority.
The annual Leadership Summit and Lobby Day comes from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Its goal is to encourage lawmakers to raise funds for cancer prevention and research programs, guarantee lifesaving colon cancer screenings as affordable for seniors, and make progress with legislation to help patients enjoy improved quality of life.
“We are calling on members of Congress to put aside partisan politics and voice their support for increased funding for the fight against cancer, which will kill an estimated 595,690 people in America this year,” Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN, said. “Lawmakers can make their support for the fight against cancer a reality by passing laws that will help to eliminate death and suffering from this dreaded disease, including through research funding the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative.”
Many believe this Cancer Moonshot movement could be the key to speeding progress against cancer by adding more research funds and by developing new treatments, tests and therapies.
“The opportunity to make conquering cancer the next great frontier comes nearly a half century after we mustered our collective resources as a nation to put a man on the moon,” Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, said.
As part of the annual lobby event, ads will be placed throughout Washington’s Union Station metro, showing iconic moon and space images beside medical research and cancer photos. This is to demonstrate the historic opportunity that Congress has to change the world.
“Everyone is just one degree from cancer -- a relative, a friend, a coworker -- and many of us have faced the disease ourselves,” John Hamilton, volunteer chair of ACS CAN’s board of directors, said. “Those who have traveled to Washington this week are here on behalf of the more than 14 million survivors and the countless millions who have lost their battle, and they want a commitment from lawmakers to take action to defeat this disease.”
