ACS CAN Praises Governor Murphy for Enacting Palliative Care Law

TRENTON, NJ – August 9, 2019 – Governor Phil Murphy has signed a bill into law that establishes a state advisory council on palliative care and quality of life. Additionally, the law requires the creation of a palliative care access initiative to make information about accessing palliative care in New Jersey more readily available. The ultimate goal is to establish a system for identifying patients who could benefit from palliative care and to provide information about palliative care services for patients suffering from a serious illness.

Palliative care can provide better quality of life for cancer patients and those with other chronic diseases and their families by focusing on relieving the pain, stress, and other symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment.

Samantha DeAlmeida, New Jersey government relations director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released the following statement:

“Palliative care helps those with cancer and their caregivers better address their cancer treatments. Palliative care will be a crucial resource for many of the more than 53,000 estimated New Jerseyans who this year will hear the words ‘you have cancer.’ This resource also helps ease the burden on family and other caregivers.

“Palliative care helps address some of the pain, fear and anxiety that many patients feel after diagnosis and during treatment and recovery and more effectively involves the patient. It treats the whole person and not only the cancer.

“Palliative care better coordinates patient care standard protocol. works to improve the lives of cancer patients by making coordination of their care standard protocol during their treatment. This coordination is provided by a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care can actually lead to a longer, more satisfying life for cancer patients and those with other major health conditions.

“I thank Governor Murphy for enacting this law and also would like to thank Assemblywoman Pinkin and Senator Vitale who sponsored this legislation and for their hard work on this crucial public health measure.”

About ACS CAN
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

###