Thousands Unite to Tell Congress Cancer Stories; American Cancer Society Sends Citizens to DC to Urge Congress to Make Cancer Priority

9/19/2002

From: Unice Lieberman of the American Cancer Society, 202-661-5711, unice.lieberman@cancer.org

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- Thousands of American Cancer Society volunteers gathered in Washington, D.C. today to urge Congress to make cancer a national priority at the Relay For Life(r) Celebration on the Hill. Representing all 50 states and each of the 435 Congressional districts, 3,000 "Relay Community Ambassadors" and thousands more celebrated cancer survivorship while telling Congress more needs to be done to promote research, education and prevention, and to call for expanded access to early detection and treatment to help people fight cancer.

"Changes in laws can impact millions of people, exponentially expanding and enhancing the American Cancer Society's mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem," said Ray Davis, a Relay Community Ambassador from Pensacola, Florida and chair of the volunteer task force for Celebration on the Hill.

"Celebration is the cumulative voice of millions of American Cancer Society volunteers sending a message to our elected leaders that cancer is an issue in their own backyards. We need them to stay committed to enacting policies and providing resources that will help people fight cancer."

The group rallied at a makeshift track around the Capitol Reflecting Pool and part of the National Mall, with individuals from every state delegation walking the track at all times to symbolize the ongoing fight against cancer. The 12-hour day opened at 10 a.m. with a special "survivors lap" around the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson addressed the group in the afternoon. Congressional leaders in the fight against cancer also spoke to the crowd while the Society's Ambassadors met with their Representatives and Senators throughout the day.

Celebration on the Hill is a grassroots event celebrating cancer survivorship and empowering survivors and others to advocate for laws that will help people fight cancer.

With Congress working furiously to complete the federal budget, Ambassadors specifically asked legislators to complete doubling of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget this year, fully fund the National Cancer Institute (NCI), commit needed resources to the new National Cancer Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities at the NIH, and substantially increase funding for cancer-related programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition, American Cancer Society volunteers asked Congress to support and pass the Eliminate Colorectal Cancer Act (S. 710/H.R. 1520) this year. The Act would give patients access to the full range of life-saving colorectal cancer screenings, the same access Congress has already given Medicare patients.

Highlights included a candle lighting "luminaria" ceremony held at dusk to honor cancer survivors and remember those lost to the disease and the arrival of the Society's Celebration Bus. Often called a "rolling petition," the shrink-wrapped bus gathered more than 125,000 signatures on its exterior during its seven-month trip through the continental United States. So many people lent their names to the panels, they had to be replaced several times to make room for more signatures. All of the fully signed panels were preserved and displayed at the event site. Entertainment, recognition ceremonies and a specially recruited youth choir singing a special composition by the noted pianist and conductor Moses Hogan rounded out the day.

Celebration on the Hill is organized by Relay For Life, the Society's signature activity and the single largest non-profit fundraiser in the world. A unique overnight event representing the never-ending fight against cancer, Relay For Life offers everyone in the community an opportunity to fight cancer by forming teams to walk, run or otherwise move around a track to demonstrate their resolve to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem.

This year, more than 3,300 Relay For Life events were held all over the country, raising $245 million for the American Cancer Society's research, education, advocacy and service programs. A total of 2.25 million people participated, including 450,000 cancer survivors.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For information about cancer, call toll-free anytime 800-ACS-2345 or visit the American Cancer Society Web site at http://www.cancer.org.