Home Blog Advocacy Blog Advocacy Victories in 2022 Advocacy Victories in 2022 January 5, 2023 • By Fight CRC Advocacy Blog Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Copy this URL Share via Email Fight CRC advocacy victories in 2022 were incredible! We kicked off January with advocates working to get 39 state governors to declare March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. In March, advocates attended Call-on Congress where they urged our elected officials to do more to prioritize colorectal cancer. We took our message to the White House to meet with members of the President’s Cancer Moonshot team in July. Throughout the year, we helped pass legislation to increase access to screening in multiple states and so much more. We closed out 2022 with some final advocacy wins just before we rang in the new year. As December came to a close, Congress passed — and the President signed into law — a massive federal funding bill that included several important policies that Fight CRC advocates fought for during Call-on Congress and throughout the year. Let’s take a look at the colorectal cancer policies that were included. Increased Funding for Colorectal Cancer Screening Fight CRC has long advocated for increased funding for the CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP), a program that works to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in underserved communities. Grantees of the program have increased screening rates of an average of 12.3%. Thanks to the tireless work of Fight CRC advocates, the CRCCP received an increase of $1 million over last year. Colorectal Cancer Research The Department of Defense supports research through its Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). This year, Fight CRC advocates pushed Congress to create a Colorectal Cancer Research Program within the CDMRP. While we weren’t successful in getting that, we did ensure that colorectal cancer remains eligible for research funding through the Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program. And we will continue to fight for a stand-alone program in 2023! A Plan for Colorectal Cancer Research In addition to the Department of Defense, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) spends millions of dollars each year on colorectal cancer research. While we are grateful for that work, more needs to be done. So Fight CRC developed what’s called “report language” to direct NCI to report to Congress on ways they can do more to advance colorectal cancer research, particularly as it relates to early-age onset, health disparities, and increased treatment options. That language was included in the bill as well! To make this happen, advocates from across the country met with their members of Congress during Call-on Congress, but didn’t stop there. They continued to follow-up and in total sent more than 3,400 emails to their elected officials to make sure colorectal cancer stayed top of mind. The Fight CRC advocacy victories in 2022 were amazing! We are excited to continue the important work in 2023. Want to be a part of making changes in policy within the colorectal cancer community? Join us March 13-14, 2023 in Washington, D.C., for Call-on Congress 2023! You’ll have the opportunity to connect with advocates from across the country and share your story with your elected officials. Your story is powerful. The past year has shown us just that! Let’s keep the momentum going! 2 thoughts on “Advocacy Victories in 2022” My son was diagnosed of stage 3 colorectal cancer last April 2019. But before that he experienced symptoms of bloody stool, diarrhea, constipation but Kaiser doctors was telling him its “hemorrhoids”. Despite he went to Kaiser for several visits and even when to Kaiser urgent care but still Rx Hemorrhoids that was July 2018 to March 2019,,, Then one of the doc ordered a colonoscopy so they found a mass on the rectum area. Then they started to do several tests until April 2019 he was positive for rectal cancer. Its unfortunate time for my son. He had the 3 cancer treatments. First a chemo, then radiation then the surgery to remove his rectum but unfortunately the cancer still there. So we get a second opinion from UCLA which he go to the same process of the common 3 cancer treatments: Chemo, Radiation then Surgery because it affects his bladder and prostate and they found cancer in the colon and in the rectal area again. Despite they removed most of his cancer but the cancer still there because they cant see anymore. This rare cancer is microscopic . Until now he is recuperating from the surgery which has done last Dec, Still we are hoping for miracles that will happen. UCLA doctors are so knowledgeable and trying to help as much widen broad of cancer treatments. To give you the summary of my son’s life.. He was a good man, hardworking to his job, athletics, loves running, jogging, he joined marathons and lots of medals collected. Despite all the healthy living and lifestyles he has cancer but with no family history of cancer. He is willing to lived longer despite all the sacrifices and torments of cancer treatments. Despite his hidden baggage of hardware in his body. All he wanted to lived happy and have a family of his own…Hoping he can still continue to get treatments despite he is broke depending only with disability ins Hi Eliza, we are so sorry for what you and your son are going through. We know it is absolutely heartbreaking. We have a blog on Paying for Colon and Rectal Cancer Treatment, which hopefully may be helpful for you and your son. Perhaps the Patient Advocate Foundation can assist you. We are sending you and your son light and love. Comments are closed.
My son was diagnosed of stage 3 colorectal cancer last April 2019. But before that he experienced symptoms of bloody stool, diarrhea, constipation but Kaiser doctors was telling him its “hemorrhoids”. Despite he went to Kaiser for several visits and even when to Kaiser urgent care but still Rx Hemorrhoids that was July 2018 to March 2019,,, Then one of the doc ordered a colonoscopy so they found a mass on the rectum area. Then they started to do several tests until April 2019 he was positive for rectal cancer. Its unfortunate time for my son. He had the 3 cancer treatments. First a chemo, then radiation then the surgery to remove his rectum but unfortunately the cancer still there. So we get a second opinion from UCLA which he go to the same process of the common 3 cancer treatments: Chemo, Radiation then Surgery because it affects his bladder and prostate and they found cancer in the colon and in the rectal area again. Despite they removed most of his cancer but the cancer still there because they cant see anymore. This rare cancer is microscopic . Until now he is recuperating from the surgery which has done last Dec, Still we are hoping for miracles that will happen. UCLA doctors are so knowledgeable and trying to help as much widen broad of cancer treatments. To give you the summary of my son’s life.. He was a good man, hardworking to his job, athletics, loves running, jogging, he joined marathons and lots of medals collected. Despite all the healthy living and lifestyles he has cancer but with no family history of cancer. He is willing to lived longer despite all the sacrifices and torments of cancer treatments. Despite his hidden baggage of hardware in his body. All he wanted to lived happy and have a family of his own…Hoping he can still continue to get treatments despite he is broke depending only with disability ins
Hi Eliza, we are so sorry for what you and your son are going through. We know it is absolutely heartbreaking. We have a blog on Paying for Colon and Rectal Cancer Treatment, which hopefully may be helpful for you and your son. Perhaps the Patient Advocate Foundation can assist you. We are sending you and your son light and love.