HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Cancer is one of the top three causes of death on Guam each year, but a local doctor who traveled to the nation’s capitol is hopeful that pleas to Congress to make cancer a top priority will help change that.
Dr. Annette David is not only a cancer advocate but also a survivor. And with that experience, she knows the important role legislation plays in research and early detection of cancer.
“I highlighted to Rep. James Moylan that he has an opportunity to improve the health of our entire nation, and of our island community, and save thousands of lives.”
David along with cancer advocates from Hawaii made the trip to Washington D.C. to urge “Guam and Hawaii members of Congress to support legislation that would increase research funding at the National Institutes of Health by $3.5 billion, including an additional $2.7 billion for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute,” according to a release from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Advocates are hopeful that lawmakers will provide $51 billion to the NIH and $9.8 billion to the NCI so that recent progress made in medical breakthroughs for treatments and therapies can be continued and ultimately reduce cancer deaths.
David and fellow advocates lobbied for Congress to support a bill to waive out-of-pocket costs for individuals with the highest risk of prostate cancer, as well as legislation to create a pathway for Medicare to cover new multi-cancer early detection tests once they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and shown to have clinical benefit.
According to the ACS, support at the congressional level would help make cancer a national priority and reduce the burden of cancer for everyone.
While in the nation’s capitol, David met with Guam Del. James Moylan in a plea for his support.
“Nearly every family in Guam knows all too well the devastating impact of cancer,” said David in the release. “When I visited Washington, D.C., I asked Congressman Moylan to fight to bring an end to cancer. We can’t afford to let promising research go to waste. It’s time we act now.”
The trip to Washington, D.C. was part of the annual ACS CAN Leadership Summit and Lobby Day.
Dr. Annette M. David, right, standing with Guam Del. James Moylan and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Hawaii volunteers.
