Hundreds of Cancer Advocates to Urge Lawmakers to Make Cancer Research and Prevention Funding a Top National Priority

WASHINGTON – September 27, 2010 – More than 600 cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and their families from all 50 states and nearly every congressional district will unite tomorrow to lobby their members of Congress in support of sustained funding for cancer research and prevention and early detection programs. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is hosting its annual leadership summit and lobby day to urge lawmakers to commit to fund proven cancer control programs and research to help develop better early detection tools and treatments particularly for those cancers that remain most lethal.

“Thanks to past investment in research, we have made tremendous progress in our ability to detect cancer early and treat it so that it is no longer an automatic death sentence,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of ACS CAN. “But if we want to eliminate death and suffering from this disease altogether, we cannot rest on past success – we must commit to funding research that makes existing tests and treatments more effective and works to find answers for cancers for which we don’t have answers.”

A national nonpartisan poll found that nearly 9 out of 10 families affected by cancer believe that investment in research to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer should be a top national priority. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they were more likely to re-elect a lawmaker who advocated for more cancer research and prevention programs. 

“We cannot have breakthroughs in cancer research without sustained funding for the National Cancer Institute, which is by far the largest supporter of cancer research in the United States,” said Christopher W. Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “We are calling on lawmakers to make a commitment to defeat cancer – a disease that still kills 1,500 people every day.”

Before meeting with their legislators, cancer advocates will attend training sessions on communicating with elected officials, engaging the media and conducting grassroots activities in their communities. They will be advocating for increases in research funding needed to ensure that the research being supported today yields the cancer treatments of tomorrow and funding to support lifesaving cancer control programs such as the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We need Congress to put aside partisan politics and work together to defeat a disease that will affect 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women in their lifetime,” said Rob Youle, cancer survivor and volunteer chairman of ACS CAN’s Board of Directors.

ACS CAN advocates will also be joined by a group of Division I college basketball coaches at a Capitol Hill rally hosted by U.S. Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at the Senate Swamp. The coaches, who are members of Coaches vs. Cancer®, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, are putting aside their on-court rivalries and teaming up to ask Congress to make funding cancer research and programs a national priority.

Advocates will also be on hand for the presentation of ACS CAN’s National Distinguished Advocacy Award. This year’s award recipients are Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL) and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D). The National Distinguished Advocacy Award is ACS CAN’s most prestigious advocacy honor and is awarded for leadership in the fight against cancer. A reception honoring the recipients of these awards will be held Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alissa Havens
(202) 661-5772
[email protected]

Steven Weiss
(202) 661-5711
[email protected]