TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida budget into law today, marking landmark investments in cancer priorities for the Sunshine State. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) applauds the funding that includes meaningful increases for many impactful initiatives.
The budget triples the state’s investment in the Florida Cancer Innovation Fund, bringing the fund’s total to $60 million. The innovation fund provides pilot grants for projects focused on cutting-edge cancer research and patient care.
The budget also adds $1.2 million to the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, bringing the program’s total funding to $3 million. The Mary Brogan Program is a federal-state partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health, providing lifesaving cancer screenings for women between the ages of 50-64 with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. At current funding levels, the Mary Brogan Program serves less than 10 %of eligible women. Increasing funding will provide more women with access to lifesaving early detection services.
The budget also invests $127.5 million in the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, around $20 million in other biomedical research grant programs and $86.9 million in the state’s tobacco control program to provide vital prevention and quitting services.
“These programs will have a significant impact on Floridians, giving institutions the tools to take part in groundbreaking research for cancer advancements and giving more people access to lifesaving preventive and early detection cancer care,” said Susan Harbin, government relations director for ACS CAN in Florida. “It’s exciting to see such a large state investment in cancer efforts. With more than 160,000 Floridians expected to face a cancer diagnosis in 2024, this funding will be critical to help reduce the cancer burden and give people access to ways to prevent, detect, treat and survive the disease.”
Breast cancer survivor and ACS CAN volunteer Debbie Denardi also called the increased funding meaningful for cancer advocates.
“Early detection saved my life after my cancer was detected in stage I. The boost in funding for the Mary Brogan program means more women will have the chance to receive similarly crucial detection services that could save lives,” Denardi said.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.