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.

One critical approach to reducing health disparities is increasing access to affordable health care. Lisa joined Dr. Lori Pierce, the current President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), to jointly author an editorial for this year’s Urban One Engaging Black America on the importance of removing barriers to care.

We will remain steadfast in our advocacy nationwide to ensure individuals that have been and continue to be marginalized are able to access health care without fear of discrimination, bias or stigma.

April is National Minority Health Month, an opportunity for public health advocates to take an intentional look at steps being taken to address disparities in health outcomes in our communities.

To achieve our goal of eliminating cancer, we need to actively address health disparities in the public policies for which we advocate.

This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we reflect on our efforts to reduce the breast cancer burden nationwide and continue our commitment to fighting the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States.

As Pride month comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect upon the incredible progress members of the LGBT community have made in communities across the country and around the world.

Guest blogger Dr. Jan Eberth, Ph. D., assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of South Carolina, discusses some of her health disparities research work to illustrate the value of federally-funded research in preventing and treating cancer.

During a presentation to the Society and ACS CAN on the state of health and wellness in the African American community, Dr. Harold P. Freeman, former Society National Board President and founder of the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute, shared his thoughts on reducing disparities and the role of patient navigation.

This National Minority Health Month coincides with the end of the 2014 open enrollment period for the health care marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act.