Texas State Lead Ambassador

Tina Atchison

Tina Atchison is an HR Manager with GE Vernova and has been involved with ACSCAN since 2009 and ACS since 2005. In addition to holding multiple positions on the event leadership committees for Relay for Life of Ft Bend County and Relay for Life of Katy W Houston, she has also served on the Relay for Life Area Leadership Team for the Houston area and is also a 2019 Voice of Hope.

When Tina joined ACSCAN in 2009, she joined as an ACT Lead for her district. Since then, she served as the VICE SLA for Texas before moving into the SLA role. She enjoys reading, crafting, hockey, football and advocating for cancer patients and their families. Tina lives in Aubrey, Texas with her husband and daughter.

There is an extensive history of cancer in her family. She lost her mother the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and her father to lung cancer and functioned as their caretaker during their cancer journey. She has also lost two aunts, a grandfather, and a brother-in-law to the disease. Several other family members have won their battles with cancer including her sister and two cousins. The impact cancer has had on her family is the motivation that keeps her advocating for changes to find a cure.

Why is being an ACS CAN volunteer important to you?

As a caregiver for both of my parents during their cancer journeys, I witnessed the struggles and hurdles that cancer patients and their families encounter. Being an ACS CAN volunteer allows me to contribute to helping remove some of those struggles and hurdles and hopefully gets us closer to a cure. It is the only volunteer experience where you can see the fruits of your efforts and feel like you are making a difference. 

I love meeting with lawmakers and talking to them about what matters to me regarding cancer, including research funding and passing legislation. Going to Washington DC and feeling the energy from everyone that is there to speak to their lawmakers on the hill is very motivating. We are all wearing our light blue shirts on the hill, and you can see them everywhere. People ask about the blue shirts, and it really brings attention to the cause. Whether it's at the state capitol or in DC, lobby day memories are my favorite!

Why should others in your community get involved in ACS CAN?

Given the size of Texas and the fact that many people are moving to our state, the number of people diagnosed with cancer is likely to increase in our state. We have great cancer centers and research facilities, but many of them rely on grants to continue their research and programs. The statistics show that everyone knows someone impacted by cancer. If you think about this, that is a staggering number. Whether you are a Texan or in another state, you should get involved to help us find a cure. Legislators act when issues are important to their constituents. The more volunteers we have, the bigger the impact we can make. 

Want to join me in the fight against cancer? Fill out this form to sign up to be an ACS CAN volunteer in Texas.