Two years after Ocean City local Jeanmarie Mason’s breast cancer returned and spread to her bones, her daughter Julie Groob also experienced a recurrence of her cervical cancer, bringing the two closer together than ever and uniting them in the fight against cancer. As volunteers with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Jeanmarie and Julie were among key voices in securing a medical debt relief victory in 2024. The pair are approaching the legislative session in 2025 eager to share their stories and advance critical proposals to limit the burden of disease across the cancer continuum.
Jeanmarie and Julie and their fellow patient advocates are hopeful that lawmakers will build off the progress of last year when they voted to pass the Louisa Carmen Medical Debt Relief Act. This new law will restructure the reporting and collection of medical debt throughout the state, making it less punitive for patients and easier for them to weather the financial storm of their illness. ACS CAN, along with the many public health and medical leaders who advocated for the passage of the proposal, see it as an opportunity to minimize the negative, cascading impacts of medical debt.
This legislative session, the mother-daughter duo will join fellow patient advocates, medical leaders and public health allies in advancing legislation to improve access to biomarker testing, eliminate financial barriers to prostate cancer screening and end the casino loophole in the New Jersey Smoke-free Air Act.
39-year-old Julie, whose cancer journey began years before she received her cancer diagnosis and as a result of persistent HPV, has committed to ensuring that more New Jerseyans have the opportunity to prevent disease and most effectively treat it.
“Future generations needn’t die from cancer. If we prioritize improving access to early detection, we can prevent countless deaths from diseases, like cervical and prostate cancer. As a cervical cancer survivor and daughter of both prostate and breast cancer survivors, I hope state lawmakers take the opportunity to increase screening uptake and save lives by funding the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection Program and advancing forthcoming legislation that aims to eliminate cost-sharing for prostate cancer screening for certain high-risk individuals,” said Julie. “Where we can’t prevent disease, we should equip patients with the best tools to fight their illness, and biomarker testing makes that possible by connecting patients to personalized treatment. But lack of insurance coverage limits who can receive the game-changing testing. Survivors are looking to change that with Senate Bill 3098 / Assembly Bill 4163.”
As a resident of the South Jersey Shore, Jeanmarie is hopeful that, in addition to the proposals to improve access to early detection and precision medicine, lawmakers will finally grant Atlantic City casino workers the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air.
“On a clear day on the beach close to my home, I can see the Atlantic City promenade. Every time I look toward Atlantic City with the casinos looming large, I can’t help but get frustrated. How is it that we’ve abandoned these New Jerseyans and forced them to work in a hazardous, smoke-filled environment? These deserve so much better,” said Jeanmarie.
Quinton Law, Government Relations Director for ACS CAN in New Jersey, said, “Over 57,000 New Jerseyans heard the words, ‘you have cancer’ last year. State lawmakers have an opportunity to lessen the burden of a cancer diagnosis for those who will hear those words in the future by removing financial barriers to prostate cancer screening, improving access to precision medicine through biomarker testing and providing casinos workers with a safe, smoke-free work environment.”
To learn more about ACS CAN’s legislative priorities, visit fightcancer.org/states/new-jersey.
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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.
