WASHINGTON April 12, 2013 Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives today recognized the importance of raising awareness about cancer disparities by introducing a bipartisan resolution designating April 15-21 as National Minority Cancer Awareness Week.
Sponsored by U.S. Representatives Ami Bera (D-CA), and Rodney Davis (R-IL), H.Res. 154 acknowledges the significant racial and ethnic disparities in cancer, the complex factors that contribute to them and the importance of continued research and public awareness campaigns that focus on cancer prevention and early detection to address these disparities.
We commend Representatives Bera and Davis for recognizing the importance of raising awareness of cancer disparities and the importance of research and prevention in reducing them, said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). It is critical that our nation supports policies and programs that not only improve access to existing methods to prevent, detect and treat cancer, but also help continue making scientific advances in cancer prevention, detection and treatment methods for all Americans.
In support of the American Cancer Society 's goals to eliminate cancer disparities, ACS CAN, the Society 's advocacy affiliate, supports legislation and public policies that are helping to defeat cancer. ACS CAN is actively engaged in a number of efforts at the state and federal levels, including those that help reduce cancer disparities and improve access to services to proven prevention and early detection services for all Americans.
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.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Trista Hargrove
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 585-3221
Email: [email protected]
#NMCAW #acscan #cancer #disparities #healthdisparities