Hello everyone! Beginning this month, ACS CAN Cancer Action Days will be occurring throughout the nations. During these days, volunteers will go to their state capitol and talk with lawmakers about policies that will better the lives of cancer patients. Since Cancer Action Days are coming up, we will be discussing access to lifesaving breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings, an important policy initiative of ACS CAN, in this blog post.
To find your state’s Cancer Action Day please click here,
Please note that some states have not uploaded/finalized their date. For more information, please reach out to your state’s grassroots manager. You can find the directory to find your state’s grassroots manager contact information here.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in one or two of the breasts. While breast cancer commonly occurs in women, men can get breast cancer too.
More than 40,000 women will die from breast cancer this year. Early detection screenings/mammograms (breast X-rays) can help decrease those deaths. The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the survival rate is. Therefore, ACS CAN is pushing for increased access to screenings that will enable early detection of breast cancer.
For more information on breast cancer visit here.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lining of the cervix in a female. Cervical cancer can begin in both the endocervix (opening of the cervix that leads into the uterus) and the exocervix (outer part of the cervix). 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide are caused by the high-risk types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (HPV 16 and HPV 18).
This year, 13,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer. Women and children who receive the HPV vaccine are less likely to receive a cervical cancer diagnosis. Early cervical cancer screenings like PAP tests can improve survival outcomes. Therefore, ACS CAN is also pushing for increased access to these screenings.
For more information on cervical cancer visit here.
What is ACS CAN doing to support early detection?
ACS CAN is asking Congress to reauthorize the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBC
CEDP). NBCCEDP is a program that offers low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women free and low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings. Screenings that are covered include breast exams, mammograms, PAP tests, HPV tests, and pelvic exams. All of these exams are vital to women’s health, and, as with all cancers, early detection is key.
In addition to pushing for this program at Cancer Action Days, sign and pass around this petition to show Congress your support.
Lastly, to learn more about NBCCEDP click here.