Cancer Funding Research

Cancer Funding Research: Advocates Push for Increased Support in Congress

Nearly 700 cancer patients, survivors, and volunteers from across the country are calling on Congress to prioritize cancer research and prevention. These advocates met directly with federal lawmakers on Capitol Hill, urging them to expand cancer funding research and improve early detection efforts.

Survivors Speak Out for More Cancer Research Funding

Among those advocating for change is Flecia Brown, a breast cancer survivor from Georgia. In 2005, Brown received a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer, a rare and aggressive form of the disease.

“My doctors were just trying to save my life,” Brown recalled.

To survive, she endured chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Throughout her battle, she never doubted her ability to overcome cancer.

“I never had a doubt that I wasn’t going to make it. I never had a doubt,” she said.

On Tuesday, Brown shared her journey with lawmakers from her state, emphasizing the urgent need for increased cancer research funding.

“In the last 17 years that I’ve been cancer-free, I’ve lost many, many friends and family members to different types of cancer,” she said.

Rising Cancer Cases and the Push for Early Detection

Brown’s advocacy comes as the American Cancer Society (ACS) projects that nearly 2 million new cancer cases may be diagnosed this year alone.

During the meetings, volunteers also championed bipartisan initiatives designed to enhance early cancer detection and screening accessibility. Among the key proposals was the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Act, which seeks to expand Medicare coverage for innovative cancer screening methods.

“We’ve had innovations through research on new ways to potentially detect cancers early and find cancers that, right now, may be unscreenable,” explained Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

Legislative Efforts to Reduce Costs and Save Lives

Another significant proposal, the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-Risk Insured Men Act, aims to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for those at the highest risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes Black men and individuals with a family history of the disease.

“If it’s caught early, we can determine who needs to be treated and cure them,” Knudsen said.

Why Cancer Research Funding Matters

For cancer survivors like Brown, this fight is about more than just numbers on a budget—it’s about saving lives and creating more milestones for survivors.

“Look at it as lives saved. Look at it as birthdays being had. Look at it as these people getting to see their kids graduate from high school or college. They get to see their grandbabies be born,” she emphasized.

Knudsen and the ACS CAN continue to push for increased cancer funding research in the latest federal budget proposal. Their goal is to ensure early detection programs, advanced cancer treatments, and lifesaving research receive the financial backing they deserve.

Take Action

Advocates encourage individuals to contact their representatives and support legislation that prioritizes cancer research funding. Increased funding could mean more innovations, more early diagnoses, and ultimately, more lives saved.