Sidney Resident Joins Wave Of Cancer Advocates In DC

SIDNEY, MT -- Annika Bennion, Sidney, along with nearly 750 cancer patients, survivors, and advocates from across the country, will unite in Washington, D.C., for the annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. ACS CAN volunteers will urge lawmakers to take certain steps to end a disease that still kills roughly 1,676 people a day in the United States.

Bennion, who lost her uncle to cancer, will discuss federal funding of cancer research for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and prevention programs. She will also ask lawmakers to support legislation for Medicare coverage of new multi-cancer early detection tests, once they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Over 30% of people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime,” Bennion said. “Our goal is to make cancer research and prevention a top priority for lawmakers.”

After meeting with their representatives, volunteers will gather at the Constitution Gardens in Washington, D.C., to honor cancer survivors and remember those lost during the annual Lights of Hope ceremony. Illuminated bags, decorated with the names of those affected by cancer, will be displayed as a powerful message of hope.