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Advocates urged Congress to take specific steps to make cancer a national priority and help end a disease that still kills 1,600 people a day in this country.
Joe Barbetta from Norwalk asked Connecticut’s Congressional delegation to support a $6 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health with $1 billion of that for the National Cancer Institute over the next two years.
In addition to being a grassroots cancer advocate, Barbetta serves on the American Cancer Society New England Division Board of Directors, and is a legislative ambassador for ACS CAN.
Barbetta asked the delegation to support an increase in federal funding for cancer research. He also urged the delegation to co-sponsor legislation that would support patients’ quality of life, and legislation that would close a loophole in Medicare that often results in surprise costs for seniors when a polyp is found during a routine colonoscopy.
“This year, more than 1.6 million Americans will hear the words, ‘You have cancer.’ Congress has a critical role to play in helping us reduce that number in the future," said Barbetta. "As an ACS CAN volunteer, I let my senators and representatives know that Congress can demonstrate a commitment to the fight against cancer by increasing federal funding for cancer research, co-sponsoring patient quality of life legislation and eliminating surprise costs for seniors getting colorectal cancer screenings.
“Making these lifesaving policies a priority will help eliminate death and suffering from cancer.”
For more information, visit www.acscan.org.
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