'Cancer doesn't care': Patients pushed past divisive politics to lobby Congress

"But the two women share a common bond. They both survived breast cancer. And when the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network organized its annual citizen lobby day in Washington, D.C., last month, Johnson and Mealing were among the more than 500 volunteers pushing Congress to keep cancer research and support for cancer patients at the top of the U.S. health care agenda."

""Not one person here discussed if you're a Democrat, if you're a Republican," says Mealing, one of 27 volunteers in the New York delegation. "Cancer doesn't care." Every one of the volunteer lobbyists had been touched in some way by the deadly disease, which is expected to kill more than 600,000 people in the U.S. this year. Johnson said each of her mother's 10 siblings died from cancer, as did a lifelong friend who died at age 57, leaving behind his wife and two young daughters."

More than 500 volunteers, many breast cancer survivors, gathered in Washington for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's annual citizen lobby day to urge Congress to prioritize cancer research and patient support. Volunteers came from diverse political backgrounds and emphasized that cancer transcends partisan divisions. The event occurred amid a federal government shutdown and budget impasse, increasing concern about sustaining research funding. Many volunteers described personal losses: family members and friends who died of cancer. Participants expressed worry about political polarization and its impact on future generations as they advocated for continued attention and resources for cancer patients.

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