Maryland Resident Received Top Volunteer Award for Excellence in Cancer Advocacy

GLENN DALE, Md. – Jacqueline Beale, a two-time cancer survivor, was named the State Lead Ambassador (SLA) of the Year by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) for her dedicated volunteer and advocacy efforts to help make cancer a national priority.

This annual award is presented to a lead ACS CAN volunteer who has demonstrated exemplary leadership while advocating for ACS CAN’s priority areas of cancer-related public policy.

“As an ACS CAN State Lead Ambassador, Jacqueline empowers her fellow Marylanders to advocate for the many cancer patients and survivors in their community and across the country,” said Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “We are thankful for Jacqueline’s outstanding support of public policies proven to save lives from cancer, and for her commitment to our mission.”

ACS CAN is the nation’s largest cancer advocacy organization and supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. As the SLA for Maryland, Jacqueline works with lawmakers, ACS CAN staff members and other volunteers to plan and support cancer-related legislative campaign goals for the state.

“Jacqueline's determination to advocate for meaningful legislation that helps eliminate the burden of cancer across the country is inspiring,” said Sherry McCammon, ACS CAN’s Maryland and D.C. grassroots manager. “We are blessed to have such a dedicated individual leading our state’s team of volunteers, working every day to defeat cancer.”

The award was presented on September 23 in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual ACS CAN Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. Nearly 700 cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones traveled to the nation’s capital to meet with their elected officials and urge them to make cancer a national priority.

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.acscan.org.

###