San Diego Cancer Advocate Receives Government Relations Professional of the Year Award for Excellence in Cancer Advocacy

Washington, D.C. – Lynda Barbour was recognized as the country’s top government relations professional by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in honor of her exceptional work advocating for cancer-fighting public policies.

ACS CAN, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, presents the award each year to a government relations professional who has worked tirelessly to effect significant, lasting change in cancer-related public policy.

“Lynda is an incredibly resourceful team member,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN. “We are so thankful for her valuable work in strengthening ACS CAN’s impact in California and leading her team’s efforts to reduce the burden of cancer in communities across the state.”

Barbour has been with the American Cancer Society or its policy affiliate ACS CAN for 26 years and currently leads strategy for advocacy campaigns, volunteer engagement and fundraising efforts in her area. She was instrumental in passing more than 15 local smoke-free ordinances in Southern California, including a smoke-free parks ordinance in Santee in July of this year.  

In applying for two California Tobacco Control Program grants, Lynda successfully secured $4.3 million over a five-year-period to fund tobacco prevention and education campaigns in both the Inland Empire and rural areas of the Central Valley that will address tobacco-related health disparities through outreach and community education. In doing so, she oversaw the hiring of six new ACS CAN California staff to perform the work and is now supervising the launch of these brand-new programs.

“I am so honored to receive this award,” said Barbour.  “It truly is a privilege to work to reduce the cancer burden through tobacco control, especially when it will establish health equity in regions of California where many people are being underserved. This award will only serve to invigorate our efforts!”

The award was presented on Sept. 8 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.

Barbour adds that the San Diego ACS CAN Research Event 2019 is planned for October 2, from 7:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at Biocom San Diego, 10996 Torreyana Road, San Diego. The breakfast event will focus on precision medicine, genomics and clinical trials. For more information, go to https://www.fightcancer.org/events/san-diego-research-event-2019-precision-medicine-genomics-and-clinical-trials

About ACS CAN

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.