Last week the House Energy and Commerce Committee attempted to Mark-up the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (CHAMP).

The CHAMP Act reauthorizes the existing Children’s Health Insurance Program. This program, created in 1997, has cut the low-income uninsured rate by one-third.

The CHAMP Act also affects the colorectal cancer community by clarifying a provision currently covered under Medicare Part A. This provision would waive the deductible for colorectal cancer screening tests regardless of coding, subsequent diagnosis, or ancillary tissue removal.

Because of inter-committee squabbles the Mark-up was adjourned and the bill was sent to the floor with no amendments attached to be voted on by the entire House this week.

President Bush has threatened to veto the legislation in its current form.

Editor’s Note: Rob Michelson is a 3-year survivor of stage IV Rectal Cancer. Rob writes of his memories of Ms. Dubow, a 9-year survivor of stage IV Colon Cancer, and a founder of C3, who passed away on July 24, 2007. Please visit the Lisa Dubow Colorectal Cancer Research Fund to make a contribution.

I remember the first time I came across Lisa Dubow’s name on C3′s website. The post outlined her diagnosis on Mother’s Day 1998, her use of the media to draw attention and awareness to Colorectal Cancer and the importance of colonoscopy. It went on to describe her participation in 2 clinical trials, her advice on being as informed a patient as possible, and her lobbying in Sacramento and DC.

My first thought is this must be superwoman. How is she doing this while still undergoing treatment? Will I be as brave and focused as she is?

I first heard Lisa’s voice on a conference call that C3 had organized for involved advocates such as myself. She described sitting in supermarkets to increase awareness and she went into great detail on how to get on local TV. Lisa mentioned her “modeling” work on the Colon Club colondar, where she was “Miss March 2007.” She said this was part of her calculated media campaign to draw attention to the “Lisa Fund.” She also said the motto of her campaign was “I am Still Here.” She had accomplished 8 years of advocacy work to that point, and she wanted people to know that she was still here. She needed help, funding, new treatments to remain here.

As a stage IV patient myself, I completely understood her need and desire to make a difference now – while “We are Still Here.” My cancer had metastasized to a rib, some vetebrae and to my liver, and I was having a difficult time understanding how breakthrough treatments were going to be developed. When I saw information about the “Lisa Fund,” it clicked right away what a meaningful Fund this is, and what a difference it will make.

I used my entire address book and sent an appeal out to everyone I knew to contribute to the Lisa Dubow research fund. This generated significant response from my friends and family.

Then I got an email from Lisa Dubow. She knew I was a New Yorker and she was planning a visit to New York to do some advocacy work, including speaking to the media. She wanted to know if it would be okay if “Miss March takes you out to dinner.” Who could say no to Miss March?

I met Lisa Dubow in person for the first time in December 2006, just before I went in for a rib resection. She knew I was concerned about my upcoming surgery, and she put me at ease right away with some stories of her own. We chatted for two hours. What a warm, knowledgeable, friendly, and determined woman she was. She was thinner than her photo in the Colondar and her face was thin, but she was in fantastic spirits. We drank wine, we ate, we laughed, and we shared our stories.

Lisa and I kept in touch by email and by phone. I saw Lisa again at the Call on Congress in March 2007. The first thing I thought was how thin she had gotten. The first thing she said to me was “My….how thin you have gotten.” I did not realize it until later, but she was right. I had dropped a significant amount of weight since my surgery, even though I was feeling okay. She did not look okay, yet she was worried about my weight. That is the kind of person Lisa was. That is how I will remember Lisa. Concerned for her own survival…but concerned more about those around her.

Lisa was special and she was inspiring. Goodbye Miss March…. how appropriate that your month on the Colondar is March – Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Your spirit “Is Still Here” and your fund will be a legacy to you. The Lisa Fund will perpetually help all of those with Colorectal Cancer.

To contribute to the legacy of Lisa Dubow, visit the Lisa Fund page.

C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition is proud to support The Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection Act of 2007 (HR 3060). Americans age 50-64 are a critical group when considering colorectal cancer. HR 3060 will provide the same protections to non-Medicare beneficiaries that are already provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

Congressman Boren lost his mother to colon cancer nine years ago, and personally understands the need for early detection of the disease.

“Cancer unfortunately has affected millions of lives across the United States,” Boren said. “Coverage is required for many other equally important preventative cancer screenings across the nation. With early detection leading to a 90 percent survival rate, a simple and proven procedure could save the lives of so many (of our) loved ones,” Boren said.

“Colorectal cancer patients have been neglected for too long,” said Carlea Bauman, Executive Director of C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition. “By providing access to screenings for non-Medicare beneficiaries we will see progress against this terrible disease.”

Studies have shown the monthly cost per patient for full colorectal screening coverage is approximately $2.65, while the savings to the employer for medical and non-medical costs is almost $3.00. Once the patient has been diagnosed with the disease, the same monthly cost climbs to almost $5,000 per patient. Additionally, studies have also shown that doctors do not refer their patients for tests if those tests are not covered by insurance.

“Americans deserve these life saving medical benefits and should be able to count on these protections,” Boren said.

Currently, 22 states, including Texas and the District of Columbia, require coverage. Oklahoma does not currently require coverage of these cancer screenings.

Congressman Ralph Hall (R-TX) has join congressman Boren in his fight.

On July 19th the House of Representatives approved the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill by a vote of 276 to 140. The bill increases the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $29.649 billion, an increase of $740 million he Grassroots to above FY 2007 appropriation and $1.028 above the Bush request. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is provided $4.87 billion, an increase of $72.743 million over the FY 2007 amount.

These numbers are nowhere near the request of the Cancer Community.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a Labor-HHS-Education bill that would increase NIH funding by 2.8 percent. This bill will not be considered by the full Senate until September.

President Bush has threatened to veto the Labor-HHS bill unless overall spending is reduced.

These numbers will hurt the progress that has been made in cancer research. It will be up to the Advocate Community to get this message out during the August Congressional recess.

The Fourth of July Congressional recess has passed and the full House is currently voting on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill. The funding levels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are not near what we want. Now what?

It’s time to say it even LOUDER — Research Cures Cancer!!

One of the major sources of cancer research funding comes from the federal government. The FY08 levels are not sufficient to continue the progress we’ve made.

I get as frustrated as you do. Year after year you write the same letters and give the same talking points to your Members of Congress yet the numbers do not seem to be at the appropriate levels. We can’t give up our fight!! Your job as an advocate is to keep the pressure on Congress.

Look at the recent debate over the immigration bill. Congressional offices were flooded with letter, emails, and calls from constituents mostly against the bill. What happened? The bill did not pass.

Constituents can impact their Members of Congress.

The next step is for the LHHS bill to go to conference. The conference committee is appointed by both chambers to resolve disagreements on a particular bill. The conference committee is usually composed of the senior Members of the standing committees of the House and Senate that originally considered the legislation. This committee issues a conference report which must then be approved by both House and Senate and signed by the President.

We still have time!! Keep up the good work.