Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas — McAllen resident and cancer survivor Elvia Gibbs will travel to Washington, D.C., to join hundreds of cancer patients, survivors and families from across the United States to urge Congress to make the fight against cancer a national priority.
Gibbs will participate in the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s annual Leadership Summit and Lobby Day, where more than 700 advocates from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam are expected to meet with federal lawmakers.
During her visit to Capitol Hill, Gibbs plans to meet with members of the Texas congressional delegation and advocate for policies to strengthen cancer research, prevention, and patient access to potentially lifesaving clinical trials.
One central issue that an advocate will bring before Congress is continued federal investment in cancer research and prevention.
According to ACS CAN, sustained increases in federal cancer research funding during the past three decades have contributed to scientific discoveries, improved treatments and advances in early detection. During that period, the U.S. cancer mortality rate declined by 34%.
Advocates say that maintaining that progress requires continued support for federal agencies that play major roles in cancer research and prevention, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For Gibbs, the effort carries a personal dimension. As a cancer survivor from the Rio Grande Valley, she will bring the perspective of a patient who has faced the challenges of a cancer diagnosis while representing a South Texas community located far from many of the nation’s largest medical and research centers.
Gibbs will also urge Texas lawmakers to support the bipartisan Clinical Trial Modernization Act, legislation intended to reduce barriers that can prevent cancer patients from participating in clinical trials.
The proposal is particularly focused on improving participation among populations historically underrepresented in clinical research, including rural residents, older adults, certain racial and ethnic communities, and people with limited incomes.
Supporters say that expenses and geographic barriers to participating in clinical trials can prevent eligible patients from enrolling. The legislation seeks to expand opportunities for patients, regardless of where they live or their economic circumstances.
Improving access could also help researchers conduct trials that better reflect the diverse populations ultimately receiving cancer treatments.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, partners with volunteers nationwide to advance public policies that address cancer prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship.
Since its establishment in 2001, the organization has advocated for increased federal cancer research funding, expanded access to affordable health care and tobacco-control measures.
By bringing her experience from McAllen to Capitol Hill, Gibbs will join hundreds of other survivors and advocates working to ensure that cancer research, prevention, and access to treatment remain priorities for Congress.
