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Mississippi cancer advocates call on lawmakers in DC to take a stand
By Richard Bourne
WASHINGTON — Mississippi advocates in the fight against cancer are hoping to sway lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to take a stand.
More than 700 cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones from around the country converged on the nation's Capitol this week for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Leadership Summit and Lobby Day.
In addition to meeting directly with lawmakers, advocates also gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to urge Congress to protect critical funding for cancer research and prevention.
Mississippi volunteers met with federal lawmakers, including Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, to discuss the need to support funding for cancer research and prevention ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to pass a new budget.
The Cancer Action Network said nearly 400 members of Congress signed on as sponsors of the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act, including Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Reps. Mike Ezell, Michael Guest and Bennie Thompson.
Experts said in the last 30 years, steady increases in federal cancer research funding have fueled a 34% decline in cancer mortality rates.