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More than 600 from across the nation will come together for Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
On Monday and Tuesday, June 18-19, PanCAN’s much-anticipated National Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy Day will take place in Washington, D.C. Advocacy Day is a critical opportunity for supporters of the cause to Demand Better. For Patients. For Survival. For Breakthroughs.
Over 600 advocates from across the nation, including more than 130 pancreatic cancer survivors (the most ever!), are registered to attend Advocacy Day this year and urge Congress to make pancreatic cancer a national priority.
If you’re unable to make it to the Hill, make sure to tune into our Instagram Stories and watch our live videos on Facebook and Twitter to experience Advocacy Day virtually. You won’t want to miss all of the live media coverage with PanCAN leaders and survivors, as well as attendees sharing their experience from the Hill. You can also join the conversation by posting with the hashtags #PANCaware and #DemandBetter.
The annual event consists of an inspirational day of training and networking on Monday, as well as a special breakfast honoring the survivors in attendance.
A new highlight this year is the “Improving Patient Outcomes: The Path to Progress” panel, which will be covered live on Facebook and recapped on our website Monday afternoon.
PanCAN’s Chief Science Officer Lynn Matrisian, PhD, MBA, will be part of a special panel discussion at Advocacy Day.
PanCAN President and CEO Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, will moderate. Appearing on the panel are National Cancer Institute Director Norman Sharpless, MD; Pfizer Global Product Development Chief Development Officer, Oncology, Mace Rothenberg, MD; Mayo Clinic Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Health Sciences Research, Gloria Petersen, PhD, who serves on PanCAN’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Board; and PanCAN’s Chief Science Officer Lynn Matrisian, PhD, MBA.
Advocacy Day attendees will also share their personal stories on Monday as a way to connect with each other as well as to practice for Tuesday’s visit to Capitol Hill, where they will speak with their members of Congress about their personal reasons for demanding better and the urgent need for the federal government to continue to invest in cancer research.
The federal government is the largest source of research funding for pancreatic cancer research, accounting for approximately 80 percent of all research funding. To double pancreatic cancer by 2020 – and far surpass this milestone – we need more research in the field.
Even if you are not attending Advocacy Day, you can join Pancreatic Cancer Action Week, taking place now through June 19, from home. All it takes is a few clicks to be part of our fight to end pancreatic cancer – and ensure our message echoes through the halls of Congress.
Also, mark your calendar for National Call Congress Day on Tuesday, June 19, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT. Everyone is encouraged to share their story with their members of Congress via phone. Detailed instructions will be available at pancan.org/CallCongress on Tuesday.
