The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network recently honored Ypsilanti resident Jennifer Belaire with its Excalibur Award at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing.
The award recognizes the exemplary efforts of an individual who helps ACS CAN advocate for responsible public health policies and laws that will help fight cancer. To be considered, a volunteer must excel in one area of volunteer service or have committed multiple years of excellent service to ACS CAN.
“For many years, Jennifer has actively engaged her lawmakers and local media on behalf of ACS CAN,” said Matt Phelan, Michigan grassroots manager for ACS CAN. “She knows her state legislator personally, on a first name basis, and she’s conducted TV interviews and letters to the editor to advocate for laws that benefit cancer patients. Our team of volunteers truly wouldn’t be the same without her contribution, and we appreciate her ceaseless commitment to the fight against cancer.”
The award ceremony was part of ACS CAN’s annual Day at the Capitol, which brought together cancer advocates like Belaire to urge lawmakers to make cancer a top legislative priority.
“Cancer death rates continue to decrease nationwide, but we still haven’t fully implemented proven ways to prevent the disease in the first place,” Belaire said. “More than 21,000 Michiganders will still lose their lives to cancer in 2017 alone. We’re here today to ask lawmakers to help cancer patients better access lifesaving treatment options and screenings and to confront one of the leading causes of premature death in our state – tobacco use.”
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.