 State and Federal funds pay millions of dollars for cancer screenings, prevention and treatment. These are your tax dollars being put to use to save lives and improve quality of life for those who are diagnosed with Cancer. Examples of these programs are the Wyoming Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program which is primarily federally funded and the Wyoming Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, which is funded with state dollars. Government also puts in regulations that keep people from being exposed to cancer causing chemicals.
Advocacy by an individual or by an advocacy group normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an asset of interest. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or organization undertakes including:
 Media campaigns,;- Public speaking;
- Commissioning;
- And publishing research or poll findings; and/or
- The 'filing of friend of the court briefs'.
Lobbying (often by lobby groups) is a form of advocacy where a direct approach is made to legislators on an issue which plays a significant role in how a policy maker may choose to vote.
In other words, policy makers need to know that cancer prevention and treatment issues are important to their constituents and it is our job as Wyoming Comprehensive Cancer Consortium members to let them know these are a priority. During the 60th Wyoming State Legislative session, American Cancer Society Government Relations Director, Jason Mincer sent emails to all Consortium members asking you to be an active participant in the advocacy process. These requests often ask you to send an email or call the voter hotline to share your experiences, opinions, and ask policy makers to offer support for the related cancer prevention and control bills. These are called “Action Alerts”. It is very important that we follow through with these Action Alerts so legislators know these issues should be at the top of the list. If few people respond, legislators assume we do not need to fund these programs or develop essential systems to improve care for Wyomingites impacted by cancer. So, please respond to the emails in a heartfelt and timely manner when they are sent out. It is also encouraged that you send these out to family members and friends who you know would be supportive and communicate with their local legislators as well.
The WCCC also has a committee specifically devoted to advocacy. If you are interested in being intimately involved in the issues the WCCC advocates for and against, please contact Jessica Salvatore (Perez) at 777-7362. A few of the issues we are considering for future legislative sessions include, a cancer license plate that would raise funding for the comprehensive cancer control program, doing away with the restriction that limits participants in the colorectal screening program to one screening every ten years, a statewide smokefree law, and making colonoscopies a required coverage item in all insurance policies.
If you have further questions or comments about advocating on behalf of cancer control, please contact Jason Mincer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Government Relations Director, Jason.mincer@cancer.org or (307) 287-1401.
|
