On March 4 and 5, LUNGevity participated in the One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) Grassroots Lobby Day in Washington, DC. OVAC is a coalition of over 50 organizations representing patients, providers, and researchers. Collectively, these groups advocate for increased federal funding for cancer research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) as well as cancer prevention and early detection through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly 100 advocates participated in the Lobby Day, taking part in an advocacy training before meeting with their congressional representatives and their staff. Deb Violette of Maine and Bill Morris of Tennessee, both lung cancer survivors, joined the event with support from LUNGevity. Under a new travel scholarship that began in 2023, LUNGevity provides funds to help lung cancer advocates with travel and hotel expenses to participate in advocacy events such as the OVAC Lobby Day.
After the event, Deb and Bill shared their thoughts about the experience as well as tips for those who are considering getting more involved in advocacy.
Deb, who is the founder and president of Free ME from Lung Cancer, has participated in many advocacy events since her diagnosis in 1998, though this was her first OVAC Lobby Day. Deb has built relationships with her members of Congress and their staff over many years, so she is well known among the Maine delegation. She noted that both of her senators and her representative were very supportive of the requests that she discussed with them during her meetings. Deb said that meeting advocates from all over the U.S. was a highlight for her as well.
Regarding advice that she would share with those who are new to advocacy, Deb suggested starting by building relationships with legislators and staff in your home state/district office. Every member of Congress has offices in their state staffed with knowledgeable aides. Reaching out to them first would be a great first step to get to know your legislators and to introduce yourself before going to Washington. She also recommended learning how the policymakers feel about issues that are important to you and bringing a list of key topics to any meetings to help you stay on point. Deb emphasized the importance of following up via email after a meeting to reaffirm what was discussed.
“No one is alone in this fight against cancer,” said Deb. She encouraged others to participate in events such as the OVAC Lobby Day and become involved in advocacy.
This was Bill’s first lobby day, and he said he was inspired to participate because he “wanted to help send a message to Congress that by spending some money now toward early detection and treatments, they could save a lot of money down the road.”
One of his key takeaways from the pre-meeting training was the value of sharing personal experiences with members of Congress and their staff. This was made clear during his meetings when he noted that congressional offices were receiving a steady stream of funding requests for worthy causes, but that personal stories made the importance of the funding more real.
Of the connections he made during the event, Bill said, “the people you meet who are also taking part in OVAC Lobby Day are special and can become friends for life because of your common bond. Keeping in touch with them afterward has made a very special day more than a memory, it has sparked a special kinship among survivors and advocates that can last a lifetime!”
If you are interested in learning more about advocacy opportunities such as the OVAC Lobby Day, be sure to sign up for updates from the LUNGevity Action Network! We share upcoming events and scholarship opportunities as well as ways that you can contact your legislators about priorities for the lung cancer community.