​Event focused on policy, advocacy, and health equity.

Leaders from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) attended the National Indian Health Board (NIHB)’s 2023 National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The annual conference, held May 1 – 5, was designed to provide a forum for health and public health professionals, policy specialists, advocates, and allies to engage in critical conversations around policy, advocacy and heath equity.

Pictured above ACS CAN Alaska Government Relations Director Emily Nenon, Tammy Boyd, ACS CAN vice president of Federal Advocacy & Strategic Alliances, and ACS CAN director of Federal Relations Nishith Pandya attended the 2023 National Tribal Conference alongside other public health professionals from local health consortiums.

As one of the event sponsors, ACS CAN was involved in several engagement activities and exhibitions throughout the conference. On May 3, ACS CAN hosted a cancer equity breakfast discussion. Tammy Boyd, ACS CAN vice president of Federal Advocacy & Strategic Alliances, pictured at right, provided an overview of ACS CAN’s mission and advocacy work prior to participating in a panel discussion moderated by ACS CAN Alaska Government Relations Director Emily Nenon. Nishith Pandya, ACS CAN Director of Federal Relations, along with other public health professionals from local health consortiums served as panelists and discussed the importance of increasing cancer equity for Tribal communities. During this segment, ACS CAN highlighted its work on supporting and advocating for increased federal funding levels for the Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP) and the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Boyd, Pandya and Nenon shared resources from the ACS Cancer Facts & Figures 2023 report and also led a conversation during a plenary session about the impact of Medicaid expansion on Tribal Nations by presenting the ACS CAN’s produced film, Wicozani: Bridging Health Care Gaps – a documentary which highlights the challenges and limitations Indigenous communities endured in accessing health care services due to chronic underfunding and costly out-of-pocket expenses. ACS CAN leaders received positive feedback from Tribal leaders and health-focused Tribal organizations.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is a non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill that provides a variety of services to tribes, Area Health Boards, Tribal organizations, federal agencies, and private foundations.