Pennsylvania Cancer Action Day 2025

We are looking forward to having you join us in Harrisburg on Tuesday, May 13th for our annual Cancer Action Day from 9-5pm! Survivors, advocates, caregivers, and more will come together from across the state to advocate for life-saving policies. No prior experience is needed, we will provide training and resources ahead of time and book lawmaker meetings for you. All you need to bring is your passion in the fight against cancer. See you at the Capitol!

If you have not already, please register here and share with your networks: https://act.fightcancer.org/a/pacad2025

Below is more information on the legislative asks that we will be making on Cancer Action Day. We will go over everything in detail during the virtual training so that you feel confident going into meetings with your lawmakers. Remember, sharing your connection to cancer will make all the difference!

We are asking our lawmakers to:

• Increase access to prostate cancer screening for high-risk Pennsylvanians:

  • Early detection of prostate cancer is critical to successful treatment outcomes. The likelihood of survival drops from nearly 100% (if diagnosed early) to 34% when it is caught in its advanced stage.

  • Prostate cancer disproportionately impacts Black men and men with a first degree relative that received a diagnosis. It is imperative that these high-risk men access early detection and screening.

  • By removing cost sharing linked to screenings for high-risk men, we can break down barriers, and ensure equitable access to screening -- saving more lives and minimizing disparities in communities statewide.

• Establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

  • About 4 million workers in PA do not have access to paid family leave through their jobs, which means they may have to make impossible choices between work and caring for themselves or their family.

  • Access to paid family and medical leave contributes to positive outcomes such as being able to complete treatment, manage symptoms, and afford treatment. This makes an important difference for patients, survivors, and their caregivers.

• Continue to fund critical cancer prevention programs

  • The PA Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program helps ensure that all women can access regular screenings, which is crucial for early detection

  • Statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs help people struggling with tobacco addiction and prevent kids from starting to use tobacco products, lowering instances of lung cancer

• More to come!

In advance of Cancer Action Day, you are required to attend a virtual training hosted by the ACS CAN team. You selected a training date when you registered, but if something comes up and you need to change the date, please let Lydia know in advance. Here is the information to join via Teams, and a calendar invite will be sent out closer to the date:

• Tuesday, April 29th from 12- pm

  • Teams link: Click here to join the meeting

    • Meeting ID: 277-734-833-203 and Passcode: Zt3H65pD

• Wednesday, April 30th at 12-1 pm

  • Teams link: Click here to join the meeting

    • Meeting ID: 280-397-105-414 and Passcode: 4Pf3tj2j

• Tuesday, May 6th at 7-8 pm

  • Teams link: Click here to join the meeting

  • Meeting ID: 270-691-356-631and Passcode: 38Ck6tu7

We will continue to update this page with additional resources, so be sure to check back. If you have any questions, please reach out to PA Grassroots Manager, Lydia Lippold-Gelb, at [email protected]