 |
|
|
|||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
 |
advocacy Sign the 2015 petition, make your voice heard in Washington DC The Bush Administration announced a goal to eliminate American suffering and death from cancer by 2015, but has since made plans to decrease the budget of cancer programs. Because the American Cancer Society knows that funding for cancer research and programs is critical to finding a cure, each 2006 Relay For Life event across the nation will give participants the opportunity to sign the 2015 petition. People who sign the petition are making a statement that there should be increased funding for the National Cancer Institute for cancer research and programs. Petition- signers are also signing up to receive Action Alerts, which are e-mails that announce federal actions on cancer issues needing attention from volunteers.  "By signing the petition," explains Sam Denton, Indiana grassroots coordinator, "you are declaring your desire to actively participate in the volunteer advocacy efforts of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in an effort to eliminate suffering and death due to cancer by the year 2015." The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is the nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society.
After being signed at Relays across America, the petitions will be handed over to legislators at Celebration on the Hill 2006, a major advocacy event that will bring volunteers from each Congressional district to Washington DC to speak with their representatives in government about cancer issues. The petitions will help to drive the message home at Celebration on the Hill that Americans care about cancer issues. One volunteer that will help promote the 2015 petition at his local Relay in Holland, Michigan, is Skip Keeter (shown above right). Skip is heading up the planning committee and plans to have an Advocacy tent where people can go to sign the petition. There will be volunteers available to explain its purpose. Skip has been heavily involved in cancer advocacy issues because he has lost numerous family members to cancer. Through advocacy, he can take action to make a difference. "When you actually have the opportunity to engage our leaders, you know immediately that you're having an impact one way or the other," he says. With the petition, he wants to send a message to Washington DC that there needs to be continued funding for cancer research and programs so that we can find a cure. "If we're not vigilant, we'll loose funds," he explains. "The more voices we have, the more impact we have, the better results we're going to have." To sign the 2015 petition, log on to www.cancer.org/relay and look for the purple box on the right side of your screen, or call 1-800-ACS-2345, to find a local Relay For Life in your area. Events will be continuing until August. Other articles in VOICES this month community focus: volunteers dispay teamwork and passion for new Relay events |
survivorship and patient services: young cancer survivors are invited to our fun-filled, annual summer camp |
survivorship and patient services: Relay For Life celebrates and supports survivors in your community |
research: people with personal cancer experiences help determine funding for Society research |
education: all women over 40 need mammograms, a government funded program may help with cost |
advocacy: meet Sharon Simmons, a survivor joining the Society's efforts in Washington DC |
local area spotlight: Society staff partner with health organizations |
resource highlight: sign up now for action alerts to monitor cancer issues |
 | |||||||||||
|
|