Expanding the fight against cancer [letter] | Letters to the editor

Last month, I had the honor of representing Pennsylvania on Capitol Hill. Along with 750 other American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network supporters from across the country, I traveled to Washington, DC to urge lawmakers to make cancer a national priority.

Together, we called on Congress to support life-saving measures that help people prevent and treat cancer. We asked lawmakers for their support in increasing federal funding for cancer research and prevention and for support of legislation that would give Medicare the ability to offer new screening tests that can detect multiple types of cancer as soon as the tests are approved by the Food and Drug Administration have been approved and clinical benefits are demonstrated.

I had the opportunity to contact the offices of U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Representative Lloyd Smucker and tell them that cancer is not partisan – it affects every community. I also let them know that Pennsylvanians and many others across the country trust them to support this legislation.

With more than 1,650 Americans dying of cancer every day, our lawmakers must take legislative action on these critical issues. Congress should seize the opportunity to pass important, bipartisan legislation to save lives and eradicate cancer as we know it for all.

I encourage you to join us and be a louder voice in the fight against cancer. Visit Fightcancer.org to connect with people like me in your community.

Cheryl Campbell

East Hempfield Township