A Message from ACS CAN President Lisa Lacasse

Last week, we hosted our 19th annual Leadership Summit & Lobby Day (LS&LD) in Washington, D.C. It was a powerful demonstration of advocacy in action, as volunteers from all 50 states, nearly every congressional district, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam came together to urge lawmakers to protect cancer cures, access to care and lifesaving early detection.

Of course, an event of this scale does not come together on its own. I continue to be in awe of the dedication and coordination of our incredible ACS CAN team members. Their efforts made this week not only possible but truly impactful. I am grateful for the support of the ACS CAN Board, ACS Board, the ACS Executive Leadership Team and ACS colleagues. A special shout-out goes to our new CEO, Shane Jacobson, who was all in and able to engage and lead in our advocacy efforts in so many ways.

Keep reading to learn more about the difference we made together!

Day 1: Affinity Row, Working to Reach All Communities 

We opened LS&LD with Affinity Row, an opportunity to hear from ACS CAN's six volunteer affinity groups— the Black Volunteer Caucus (BVC), the LGBTQIA+ & Allies Engagement Group, the ACSí Se Puede Hispanic/Latino Advocacy Alliance, the Asian American & Pacific Islander Volunteer Caucus, the Young Leaders Caucus (YLC), and Indigenous Volunteer Voices (IVV). Volunteers learned about the impact of these groups nationwide as they advocate for an equitable and inclusive approach to reducing the cancer burden. We were proud to have 144 affinity group members in attendance this year, with more volunteers signing up to become members onsite.

Focus on Self Care

This year, we introduced a self-care workshop starting on Sunday, "Practical Strategies for Tending to Self in Advocacy," along with a rejuvenation space for attendees to relax and recharge.

Annual Advocacy Honors Presented to Volunteers and Team Members

LS&LD continued by celebrating volunteers and team members who received special recognition awards for their exceptional work advancing ACS CAN's mission, including:

State Lead Ambassador (SLA) of the Year – Vince Marchetta (OH)
Presented to a lead volunteer who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in advocating for ACS CAN's area of cancer-related public policy.

Volunteer Award for Excellence in Advocacy (VAEA) – Bernie Jackvony (RI)
The highest national volunteer advocacy honor bestowed by ACS CAN.

Young Leader Award – Dr. Marina Watanabe (MA)
Presented to a state volunteer who has demonstrated an exciting promise in their start with ACS CAN by taking advantage of new opportunities to advocate for cancer patients.

Ambassador Constituent Team (ACT) Leads of the Year – Jung A Han (MA), Beth Parker (WA), Mary Kost (IN)
Presented to lead congressional district volunteers who have demonstrated remarkable leadership advocating for ACS CAN's areas of cancer-related public policy.

State Advocacy Team of the Year – Team Indiana
Presented to combined staff and volunteer teams that have worked together to make a significant impression in cancer-related public policy.

ACS Partner of the Year – Krista Kirksey Thomas, Associate Director, Community Partnerships
Presented to an American Cancer Society team member who collaborates with ACS CAN to advance its mission to reduce the cancer burden through public policy change.

Dave Woodmansee Award – Mark Anderson, ACS CAN Vice President, Regional Advocacy
In honor of longtime ACS CAN State and Local Campaigns Director David Woodmansee, who passed away from cancer in 2019, this award is presented to a team member who has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in the areas of advocacy and public policy.

Field Government Relations Professional of the Year – Susan Harbin, Senior Government Relations Director (FL)
Presented to a government relations professional who has worked tirelessly to make a powerful, lasting impression in cancer-related public policy.

Field Grassroots Professional of the Year – Tim Freeman, Senior Grassroots Manager (MO)
Presented to an ACS CAN team member whose collaborative efforts further the achievement of advocacy-related mission goals.

National Professional of the Year – Leslie Ferreira, Director, Grassroots Alliances - Health Equity
Presented to a team member who has made significant contributions to ACS CAN through their cancer advocacy work.

Please take a minute to reach out with a note of congratulations to these outstanding advocates!

Day 2: Leadership Summit: Preparing for an Impactful Hill Day

Each year, we spend Monday preparing our volunteer teams for Tuesday's Capitol Hill meetings with lawmakers, including a deep dive into our legislative asks. This year, we kicked things off with Olivia Mannion, co-leader of the Young Leaders Caucus, and Dr. Marina Watanabe, co-leader of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Volunteer Caucus, who served as our LS&LD emcees. They immediately made us laugh and reminded us that every story holds power.

Before the morning breakout sessions, ACS CAN Board Chair Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard welcomed attendees and honored Indigenous histories and cultures through a land acknowledgment. Our CEO Shane Jacobson grounded us in our purpose by underscoring that true advocacy is a goal, a dream and a willingness to work for change. When I addressed our volunteers, I shared a message of resilience and persistence in the face of challenges to our cancer priorities.

During our mid-day session, we listened to an insightful panel discussion with ACS Board Vice Chair Dr. Mark Goldberg, medical center program manager Dr. Afroz Hafeez, nurse practitioner Laura LaRose, MSN, RN, PMGT-BC, AGACNP-BC, AOCNS, AOCNP, medical college program manager Debra Nevels, MSHCM, and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Ian Padykula. The speakers discussed the risks of cutting health care research funding from medical, academic and economic standpoints. On all fronts, funding cuts have a negative impact on patients and researchers alike. This is why we are asking lawmakers to support the highest possible funding for cancer research and prevention to support the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

We later participated in Hill prep and heard from our Federal Advocacy team, joined by Soapbox CEO Christopher Kush, who walked us through the fundamentals of our legislative asks and some on-stage role playing on how best to engage with lawmakers the following day.

2025 CAN Opener

More than 600 attendees danced the night away in denim and diamonds. Wearing our finest bedazzled jean jackets and cowboy boots, we were united not just by style, but by our shared commitment to cancer advocacy. The event raised over $60,000 for ACS CAN's critical public policy advocacy work, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. ACS CAN's Silent Auction also raised over $9,241 for our mission with competitive bids on everything from wireless headphones to hand-crafted 'hot dish carriers' to of-the-moment Labubus and even a volunteer's painting of our blue shirts on Capitol Hill.

Day 3: Lobby Day: Blue Shirt Brigade Brings Cancer Fight to Capitol Hill

On Tuesday, ACS CAN's advocates, including patients, survivors and caregivers, donned their signature blue shirts to meet with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Before departing, we celebrated elected officials who have been champions of our work. We heard from our National Distinguished Advocacy Award (NDAA) recipients. This award is the highest national advocacy honor bestowed by ACS CAN elected officials who have demonstrated tremendous leadership in the fight against cancer.

Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) joined us in the ballroom to accept her NDAA award for her tenacious work to expand access to cancer care, along her efforts to champion the 21st Century Cures Act.

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) also received the NDAA award for defending North Carolinian's access to health care by using his position to build bipartisan bridges to advance the fight against cancer.

We were also honored to welcome James Jones, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Yale University, and Jerome Tang, Head Men's Basketball Coach at Kansas State University, two inspirational voices who shared motivating words of encouragement before we headed to the Hill.

ACS CAN advocates went on to participate in meetings with every Senate office and 384 House offices, including 122 member-level meetings and 173 senior staff-level meetings. Volunteers reported back positive and insightful conversations with their lawmakers that yielded increased support for and co-sponsorship of our priority issues.

Advocates urged their lawmakers to: 

• Support the highest possible increases for cancer research and prevention in the FY26 funding bill:
  - $51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $7.934 billion for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  - $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
  - $472.4 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cancer programs, including $230 million for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
• Support final passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 842/S. 339)
• Ensure a pathway to extend the Affordable Care Act's enhanced health care tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. These credits currently make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans.

We're proud to report 309 House cosponsors and 62 Senate cosponsors of MCED, with 14 new House cosponsors added over the past week thanks to the advocacy of our volunteers. MCED is now the second most supported bill in Congress and the most supported bill in the House!

Additionally, on Wednesday, the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act passed the House Ways and Means Committee with a unanimous vote: 43 to 0. That kind of bipartisan support shows the power of our advocacy. From the moment the hearing began, members of Congress acknowledged the sea of ACS CAN blue shirts in the room. Volunteers were thanked publicly for showing up, and their presence was credited with helping drive momentum for the bill.

On Thursday morning, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing on the legislation. Once again, ACS CAN volunteers were present in force as Members continued to express strong support for the bill, reinforcing the urgency and bipartisan momentum behind it.

As part of LS&LD, we hosted a moving outdoor convening on Capitol Hill, where patients, survivors, and advocates came together to share their personal stories and call for action. ACS CAN volunteer Teresa Simpson delivered a powerful message: “When my current chemo is no longer effective, my next treatment will be a trial. I pray there is one for me. This is not a partisan issue. Cancer touches all of us." Her words, alongside remarks from several members of Congress, highlighted the urgent need to protect access to cancer cures and the critical role lawmakers play in making that possible.

Lights of Hope 2025

Our Lights of Hope display on the National Mall included 10,000 decorated bags honoring or remembering loved ones impacted by cancer, as well as 53, 7-ft story columns highlighting one story from each state or territory. Although the rain returned this year, it could not wash away the spirit of the hundreds of advocates and supporters who joined us to view the beautiful display at Constitution Gardens. Nationwide, we displayed nearly 85,000 Lights of Hope in front yards, public parks and state capitol events across the country. I highly encourage you to scroll through the many beautiful images shared by volunteers on social media with #LightsofHope. 

Volunteer fundraising in 2025 has exceeded $900,000 and continues to grow, including over $875,000 from Lights of Hope. Nationwide, there are more than 280 local sponsors supporting Lights of Hope. Special thank you to our State Premier sponsors, Baptist Health Cancer Care, Bruce Waldholtz, MD, California Leadership Council, CARTI, Colorado CEO's Against Cancer Chapter, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, Dr. Omar Rashid, MD, JD, LLC, Ergon, Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, GRAIL, Maryland/District of Columbia Society of Clinical Oncology, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Richard Deming, MD, and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. There is still time to support Lights of Hope!

Thank you to every volunteer, colleague and partner who made this moving, impactful event a reality.

Day 4 Celebration Close Out

Wednesday morning allowed us to reflect on our Hill Day, celebrate our impact, and boldly face the work ahead. We honored our two state NDAA recipients for their strong leadership in the fight to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.

New Jersey State Senator Troy Singleton (D) was recognized for his commitment to improving access to cancer treatments. He authored a state law to expand insurance coverage for breast cancer, allowing for affordable early-detection screenings.

Montana State Senator Willis Curdy (D) was recognized for his stalwart defense against unhealthy and unsafe habits in his state. His dedication resulted in the strengthening of the Clean Indoor Air Act, protecting Montana from the dangers of secondhand aerosols in public spaces.

We also celebrated the work of this year's two Judicial Advocacy Initiative (JAI) Award recipients! The JAI Award recognizes attorneys for their contribution of outstanding legal services to the ACS CAN mission.

• Thomas W. Curvin, of Eversheds Sutherlands. Tom dedicated his time to advocating for the civil rights of Medicaid beneficiaries at the Supreme Court of the US in two different cases with two separate amicus briefs. He also helped defend the patient protection provisions of the No Surprises Act at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
• Seth W. Lloyd, of Morrison Foerster. Seth's legal work advocated for broad protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals in health care services under the Affordable Care Act in five different amicus briefs in five separate cases filed in circuit courts across the nation.

The celebrations continued as Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Chair of the ACS CAN Board of Directors, recognized top volunteer fundraisers, including the top ten Lights of Hope fundraisers who collectively raised $238,491.

We concluded LS&LD with keynote speaker Jesse Solomon from Bravo's hit reality television show “Summer House." He shared his own experience of receiving an unexpected cancer diagnosis, and his refusal to let fear stop him from pursuing dreams ever since.

Amplifying Our Advocacy

In conjunction with LS&LD Day, ACS CAN launched a Washington Post advertisement and roving billboard as part of our ongoing “Protect Cancer Cures" campaign, aimed at pushing forward FY26 federal funding priorities by advocating against cuts to cancer research.

Media coverage for Lights of Hope and LS&LD featured volunteers sharing what the event meant to them and highlights of their time in DC. Thirty-six volunteers participated in interviews in the lead up to and on Lobby Day through our radio and TV media tour and additional pitching, which included national and regional media outlets, as well as several multicultural media outlets serving Spanish-speaking and Black communities. To date, 41 interviews of ACS CAN volunteers and staff contributed to a total of 323 media clips placed in media markets around the country, with many of them in our priority districts. We look forward to seeing additional letters to the editor and post-event articles appear in volunteers' local media outlets as a follow-up to their successful lobby day.

Attendees also amplified our efforts across social media, with nearly 1,000 posts using the hashtags #CancerLobbyDay, #LightsOfHope and #ProtectCancerCures, more than 35,000 engagements (likes, shares, comments) and 1.1 million accounts reached, totaling an absolute reach of 4.6 million impressions and counting!

Lawmakers and national organizations across the country also amplified our efforts, including Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Representatives George Whitesides (D-CA) and Craig Goldman (R-TX), just to name a few.

Together, we can keep this momentum going in our work to end cancer as we know it, for everyone!

Advocacy In the News

Cancer Health: Hundreds of Cancer Advocates Gather in DC to Urge Congress to Sustain Vital Research and Prevention Funding

Nexstar: Cancer survivors, advocates rally for research funding on Capitol Hill

NBC Washington: Group Calls on Lawmakers for Cancer Research Funding: Interview of ACS CAN President Lisa Lacasse

Spectrum News: Advocates, Volunteers Take Fight to Fund Cancer Research to Nation's Capital

WDAY ABC North Dakota: Extending the ACA Tax credit: Interviews of Volunteer Eniola Soetan and Government Relations Dir. Ben Hanson