WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Susan Collins today met with about two dozen people from Maine who are in Washington, D.C. participating in an event called, “Celebration on the Hill.” The event, sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, a nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, is a national event celebrating cancer survivorship and encouraging Congress to make cancer a national priority.
Senator Collins was pleased to meet with a group from Maine that represented volunteers, cancer patients, and survivors from Old Orchard Beach, Cape Elizabeth, Biddeford, Augusta, Bar Harbor, Portland, Brunswick, Belgrade, Orrington, Dixfield, Auburn, Rumford, Calais, Belfast, and Orono.
“All of us have been touched by cancer in some way or another. When Congress first declared war against cancer 35 years ago, cancer was largely a death sentence. Three decades later, our national research investment has reaped remarkable returns. Unfortunately, despite this progress, our fight is far from over,” said Senator Collins. “It is critical for Congress to continue to make the fight against cancer a national priority by supporting funding for federal cancer research, prevention initiatives, expanded access to care and early detection programs so that we can eliminate cancer as a major health threat.”
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and is Americans’ leading health concern. An estimated 1.4 million Americans will be newly diagnosed with cancer and 564,000 people will die from cancer this year. In Maine, about 7,520 people will be diagnosed while about 3,100 will lose their battle against the disease this year.
Celebration on the Hill 2006 included nearly 10,000 participants from all 50 states and every Congressional district. Nearly 4,000 specially-chosen volunteers served as Celebration Ambassadors to deliver the message to Congress that the government’s role is critical in the fight against cancer. Ambassadors met with their state Congressional delegations to share stories about how their lives have been touched by cancer and how the federal government can help alleviate the nation’s cancer burden.
Throughout the day, participants walked a track surrounding the Capitol Reflecting Pool in a Relay For Life, a signature event of the American Cancer Society that signifies the ongoing fight against cancer. Relay For Life events take place in more than 4,600 communities each year. Celebration on the Hill was also home to the largest cancer monument ever constructed on the National Mall, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Wall of Hope. The monument, made up of nearly 5,000 banners that originated in communities across the country, included the signatures of hundreds of thousands of people nationwide who lives have been touched by cancer.
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