DENVER — Today is World Cancer Research Day (WCRD), a day to observe the World Declaration for Research on Cancer, which calls for the active involvement of citizens, institutions and leaders to join together in an effort to promote research that improves survival rates and quality of life among cancer patients. The struggle to access affordable health care, along with cost-prohibitive prescription drugs, has been a reality for millions of Americans currently navigating multiple public health emergencies.
Data has shown that nearly half of cancer deaths worldwide are linked to preventable causes. Speaking at the Kennedy Presidential Library earlier this month, President Biden re-stated his administration’s commitment to his “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, touting an ambitious goal to reduce cancer deaths by 50% in the next 25 years while also improving the experience of those living with and surviving cancer.
This World Cancer Research Day, Health Care Voices Founder Laura Packard is echoing President Biden’s message that cancer does not discriminate between red and blue. Beating cancer is something that Democrats and Republicans can and should do together.
Voices of Health Care Action Founder Laura Packard issued the following statement:
“I’m a stage 4 cancer survivor and the Affordable Care Act saved my life. This World Cancer Research Day, I am grateful to still be here, and I know that without my health insurance, access to the life-saving treatment I needed to be in remission today would have been out of reach.”
“Cancer Moonshot’s success will rely on our commitment from the bottom up. President Biden’s executive order boosting domestic biotechnology investments and manufacturing is an important step, but electing leaders who are committed to common sense measures, such as free preventive care, Medicaid expansion, and lower prescription drug costs, will further our goal of reducing preventable cancer deaths by at least 5o percent over the next 25 years.”
“It is possible to live in a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths never happen. Access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equitable for all. It is up to Congress to act in lockstep with President Biden to support Cancer Moonshot initiatives, and Americans heading to the polls over the next several weeks to elect health care champions to join them in that fight.”
Laura Packard is the founder of Voices of Health Care Action, executive director of Health Care Voter, and a stage 4 cancer survivor. The Affordable Care Act saved her life. She is a co-host of Care Talk, a call-in health care show on act.tv to answer America’s health insurance questions about the ACA, Medicare and Medicaid (airing Mondays at 4:30pm ET). If you’d like to connect with Laura to discuss the importance of World Cancer Research Day and how voters can elect health care champions this November, please reach out to juan.fortenberry@firesidecampaigns.com.
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