Why I Advocate: Len Fisher

Silver Linings

Most stories about cancer involve sadness, but for me this hasn’t been the case.    Don’t get me wrong, there have been challenges; prostatectomy with serious life changing side effects and serious hormone therapy that is hard on a man’s body (about 55% of us die from cardiac events).  There have been good sides to this whole thing.  And I mean a lot of good sides! 

I joined two support groups through the American Cancer Society and Ohio State University James Cancer Center that provided immeasurable support through conversation with fellow patients and music therapy.

I also joined the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, ACS CAN, to take part in the legislative process.

As an ACS CAN volunteer I have the opportunity to educate our legislators about all things cancer related. I have been involved in tobacco issues; testifying for the Ohio house committee reviewing tobacco free schools legislation, the 2014 Ohio oral chemotherapy legislation, as well as, finding opportunities to get our Ohio lawmakers on the record with where they stand on tobacco issues. I saw the Ohio Governor sign oral chemotherapy parity into law after years of talking to our lawmakers and within the community about the legislation and I advocate to our federal lawmakers for more funding to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Tobacco has taken too much from me. I lost my mother to tobacco as well as many of my friends. I enjoy working toward a world where none of our young people will smoke or have their loved one’s life shortened by tobacco.  I know because of ACS CAN that I’ve made a difference and that ladies and gentlemen is a good feeling.

Len Fisher