The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Fight Back Express bus hit the road in May and is traveling across the country, stopping in hundreds of communities in all 48 contiguous states to unite the voices of the millions of Americans who believe cancer needs to be an important campaign issue.

ACS CAN is the non-profit, non-partisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society that is working every day to make cancer issues a top national priority. With the Fight Back Express, ACS CAN will bring the stories of cancer patients, survivors, and friends to the presidential candidates to make cancer a priority issue in their administration.

The tour is designed to highlight the fight against cancer and the Fight Back Express serves as a mobile action center. In order to make progress, our elected officials must make the issues facing cancer patients a top national priority. In the battle to eliminate cancer, every voice counts. By getting the Fight Back Express on the road, we will be able to raise the awareness of critical health care issues by making your voices heard to lawmakers and candidates.

"When cancer comes after somebody you love, you feel powerless," said Patty Avery, Indiana Lead Ambassador from Evansville. By starting this nationwide movement, ACS CAN is giving volunteers another way to fight back against cancer.

"When I heard the Fight Back Express was coming to my town, I got so excited," said Patty. "I can see the day it’s going to pull up...it’s going to be a hot day in July, but my congressman’s going to be waiting on it, my state legislator’s going to be waiting on it, our local decision makers will be there."

Locally, the Fight Back Express will be in the Great Lakes Division from July 13 to July 19. The bus will arrive in Indiana on July 13 and make its way to Michigan on July 16, making a total of 21 stops in the two states. Click here to view the full schedule.

At each stop, visitors will have the chance to share their story through the Picture A Cure program, where photos are taken of those affected by cancer and then sent with written personal stories to lawmakers in their area.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to sign a petition to support access to quality health care for all Americans and encourage lawmakers to promote prevention and early detection programs, boost funds for cancer research, and implement strong tobacco control policies.

If you are not able to see the bus in person, you can still be a part of the Fight Back Express. You can track the bus’s progress as it rolls across the U.S. with several online and interactive tools, including updates, blogs, and more.

To learn more about how you can support the bus tour and take part in this nationwide effort, visit www.acscan.org/bus.