On Tuesday, March 6, Fight Colorectal Cancer advocates attending the 6th annual Call-on Congress heard from staff and experts about the challenges to spreading awareness of and increasing research into colorectal cancer amid national budget challenges.

Erica and Ethan Lee of Sacramento, Calif., participate in Call-on Congress training sessions.

Training sessions with Fight Colorectal Cancer staff gave advocates a real world view of the policy and legislative landscape for colorectal cancer. They were given information about key legislation, statistics and talking points for their meetings with lawmakers that will occur on Wednesday.

“It’s so exciting to be here in Washington and on Capitol Hill to see how it all works,” said Erica Lee, an advocate from California who is attending the conference. “It’s easy to complain about ‘politicians in Washington, DC,’ but here I’m part of the solution.” Erica recently lost her mother, Diane, to colorectal cancer.

Advocates can also access a virtual toolbox of outreach strategies, via the Fight Colorectal Cancer website under the Policy and Advocacy tab. Anyone interested in proposed legislation that Fight Colorectal Cancer supports can also find information in the Action Center.

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Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) died early this morning from colon cancer.

Representative Payne announced last month that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer but expected to make a full recovery. However, last week he took a sudden turn for the worse and was flown home to New Jersey where he was placed in hospice care at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. He was 77.

The first black member of Congress from New Jersey, Representative Payne served the 10th Congressional District for 23 years. He was planning to run for a twelfth term this year, vowing to run again only last month.

A strong champion for human rights in Africa, militants fired mortar shell at his plane as it left Mogadishu in 2009. He was the author of the Sudan Peace Act, which condemned genocide and helped bring famine relief to civilians starving in the Sudan.

He was also a tireless advocate for education, saying in 1991,

Education and training get you jobs. Jobs get you your housing, health care and other needs. It’s really the key to all the social problems of the district.

President Obama has ordered flags at the White House lowered to half staff. Governor Christie has ordered all flags in New Jersey lowered as well.

Fight Colorectal Cancer mourns the loss of Congressman Donald Payne and the nearly 140 Americans who will die of colon or rectal cancer today.

Washington, DC – Fight Colorectal Cancer hosts their 6th Annual Call-on Congress beginning today, in Washington, DC.

More than 60 advocates, including colorectal cancer survivors, caregivers, physicians and researchers, are gathering in the nation’s capital this week to hear from experts about current research and cancer control programs and to take part in advocacy activities on Capitol Hill.

“Our volunteers are activists who are bringing the fight against colorectal cancer to Washington to get more attention and more funding for this disease,” said Fight Colorectal Cancer President Carlea Bauman. “By speaking up and demanding change, they are making a difference in the fight against colorectal cancer.”

Advocates arrive in Washington today for the start of Call-on Congress

Tomorrow, advocates will receive training on how to have effective meetings with their legislators. On Wednesday, March 7th, the advocates will participate in more than 80 meetings in Congress to ask for support for the following pieces of legislation:

• Medicare Cost Sharing for Screening Colonoscopy.  This legislation will amend current law to waive coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening colonoscopy by correcting the coinsurance gap that exists under current Medicare policy.  Although colorectal cancer screening is covered by Medicare, beneficiaries may still be liable for coinsurance  if a polyp is detected and removed, because the screening can be reclassified as a diagnostic procedure.

Fight Colorectal Cancer asks Congress to support legislation that waives coinsurance for screening colonoscopy that also involves removal of polyps during the same encounter.

• Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Colorectal Cancer Control Program. Currently the program provides funding to 25 states and four tribal organizations for colorectal cancer screening targeted at low-income men and women, aged 50-64,who are uninsured or underinsured.  The CDC has set a goal in 2012 of screening 66 percent of adults aged 50-75 and a long-term screening goal of 88 percent by the year 2020.  Reaching these goals requires a commitment from Congress.

Fight Colorectal Cancer asks Congress to fund the Colorectal Cancer Control program at $70 million in the next fiscal year, which will allow the program to be expanded nationally. 

• Funding for Colorectal Cancer Research.  Advocates will ask members of Congress to demonstrate their commitment to colorectal cancer research by taking two important actions:

Support an increase in funding to the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). Funding for the PRCRP was cut 29 percent  last year.

Fight Colorectal Cancer asks Congress to provide $16 million in FY 2013 for the PRCRP to restore funding to FY 2011 levels.

Support increased funding for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI is one of 27 institutes at the National Institutes of Health and leads a national effort to eliminate the suffering and death from cancer.

Fight Colorectal Cancer asks Congress to fund the NIH at $32.7 billion in FY2013, which will provide NCI with $5.36 billion in funding.

Follow updates from Call-on Congress at FightColorectalCancer.org, Facebook, and Twitter (hashtag #ConC2012).

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Add a Twibbon to your Facebook & Twitter pic!

As Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, we’re launching a new Blue Star Twibbon in partnership with My Colon Cancer Coach, to unite survivors, loved ones and advocates under a common symbol of support. Many of you are already participating in Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re thrilled to have your support as we head to Capitol Hill for Call-on Congress this week.

If you’ve never heard of a Twibbon, it’s basically a small image that overlays the corner of your Twitter or Facebook profile image, calling attention to colorectal cancer awareness and signifying your support for this cause. By adding one, you will:

• Raise awareness about the second-leading cancer killer in the United States among your social circles online
• Encourage more dialogue about colorectal cancer, including  legislation to promote prevention, screening and treatment
• Be a part of the movement for change and find new like-minded supporters and advocates

Throughout March and beyond, we would love for you to join this online community by adding the Blue Star Twibbon. Just visit the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Twibbon page to add yours today – and spread the word to others!

Representative Charlie Dent

Legislation was introduced in Congress today that will correct an oversight to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires Medicare beneficiaries to pay coinsurance when their screening colonoscopy also involves the removal of a polyp or cancer. When a screening colonoscopy turns therapeutic, the cost to the Medicare patient is significant – $100 to $300 – and it could serve as a deterrent to screening.

The legislation, Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2012 (H.R. 4120), was introduced by Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania.

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