research

Researchers support the Fight Back Express
On July 15, Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis was abuzz with people traffic. Eleven ACS funded researchers from the area came to celebrate with staff and volunteers at the arrival of the Fight Back Express.

The Fight Back Express is rolling across the nation, carrying the mobile message that Americans have the power to fight cancer in this country with their voices. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is sponsoring the 6-month bus tour to highlight the crucial role elected officials play in supporting laws and policies that help people fight cancer.

Kristie D. Goodwin, ACS Postdoctoral Fellow at the Indiana University School of Medicine, was the representative speaker at the event. "I am excited to be here representing some of the outstanding researchers that are funded by the American Cancer Society right here in Indianapolis. We are doing an amazing amount of cancer research on a variety of topics from understanding the mechanisms of cancer, to development of cancer therapies, as well as clinical research on ways to improve patient quality of life."

She also addressed the fact that scientific discovery alone will not defeat cancer. The federal government is by far the largest source of cancer research funding, but years of budget freezes and cuts are impeding progress. "My fellowship from the American Cancer Society has allowed me to make a significant contribution to our understanding of bleomycin. There is also a long history of ACS researchers that have made important discoveries that benefited cancer patients in many ways," said Kristie.

"We still have a long way to go and new discoveries are being made each day. Ultimately, continuation of our research will require federal funding, and this funding will only be available if we ask our legislators to address the flat funding that we have seen for the past five years."

The ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus tour comes on the heels of a major public education campaign by ACS CAN and the American Cancer Society, raising awareness about the critical need for access to quality healthcare for all Americans.

Through the bus tour, ACS CAN is working to make cancer a higher national priority by educating the public, lawmakers, candidates and the media about the importance of government’s role in defeating cancer. Kristi encouraged people at the event to get involved. "On behalf of the researchers at this event, I encourage you to join the ACS Cancer Action Network in demanding an increase in federal funding for cancer research that will allow us to continue our studies in order to save lives."

ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy partner of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority, and gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard.

To find out more about the ACS CAN Fight Express and how to make cancer a national priority, visit www.acscan.org.

Pictured: ACS funded researchers supporting the Fight Back Express

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