CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Feb. 1, 2018 – Cancer survivors, caregivers and their families from across the state traveled to the West Virginia State Capitol today and called on the Legislature to prioritize the 12,110 West Virginians who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2018.
The visit was part of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s annual Day at the Capitol, which brought cancer advocates together to 1) urge lawmakers to improve patients’ quality of life through expanded access to palliative care and 2) fully fund statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
“Cancer death rates continue to decrease nationwide, but we still haven’t fully implemented proven ways to prevent the disease in the first place,” said Rosemary Thomas, a lead ACS CAN volunteer from Elkins. “Nearly 5,000 West Virginians will still lose their lives to cancer in 2018 alone. We’re here today to ask lawmakers to improve palliative care access and commit to proven methods to stop tobacco addiction.”
Specifically, ACS CAN volunteers asked lawmakers to:
ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate organization of the American Cancer Society, dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.