Washington is buzzing today. President Obama is scheduled to give his State of the Union speech before Congress tonight and many are anxious to hear the priorities for the year ahead. But Washington isn't the only place this conversation is happening cancer patients and their loved ones from across the nation will gather to watch the address in a live online chat tonight, sending a message to the White House and Congress that funding for medical research and proven prevention programs must be a national priority. The federal government continues to be the largest financial supporter of cancer research, and research funded by the NIH and the National Cancer Institute has played a major role in every major advancement in the fight against cancer over the last 70 years. Now, forty years after our country declared a war on cancer, the president and Congress can't waste an opportunity to capitalize on past progress and make real strides in eliminating death and suffering from this disease. If we're going to make progress against this disease we must be steadfast in our commitment to fund proven prevention measures and research. Back by popular demand, this online chat during the State of the Union is hosted on our website and on our Facebook page so cancer advocates can gather during the speech and hear commentary from ACS CAN lobbyists. Last year the chat was so popular we crashed the server! But this year we have new technology, higher bandwidth and more participants have RSVPed than ever before. Will you be joining us? *Image retrieved from: http://bit.ly/zzXBxF
Today’s blog is one of a series of posts highlighting how ACS CAN is examining, prioritizing and pursuing policy interventions that ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to prevent, find, treat and survive cancer. Achieving health equity in communities nationwide is a cornerstone of our mission.