Celebration on the Hill Brings Those Affected by Cancer to Washington
On a bright fall day in September, nearly 10,000 cancer patients, survivors,
and their friends and family - including Phi Theta Kappa members - converged
on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for Celebration on the Hill, the
largest grassroots cancer advocacy event in the nation.
For
four years Phi Theta Kappa has worked closely with Relay
For Life, currently a civic
engagement initiative. The initiative has resulted in 800 chapters
raising more than $1.3 million for the American Cancer Society through
fundraising events. Chapters are being challenged to raise $10 million
for the American Cancer Society by 2018 - Phi Theta Kappa's centennial.
Organized by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network,
the first Celebration on the Hill was held in 2002 in order to increase awareness
of cancer issues among policymakers. Now, with the recent vote by Congress
to cut the National Institutes of Health budget resulting in a significant
cut of federal funding for medical research and important cancer programs,
the message from cancer advocates to lawmakers is clear: funding is necessary
to fight cancer.
The second Celebration on the Hill was held
with an increased effort to urge lawmakers to support policies on continuing
research for cancer programs.
Phi Theta Kappa constituents
attending the event included chapter advisor Beth Walker of Gillette College
in Wyoming and member Tracey Hagee of Front Range Community College in Colorado.
Both women were among the 4,000 persons chosen to serve as Celebration Ambassadors
for Celebration on the Hill.
Celebration Ambassadors are selected
from a competitive application process and each one represents their state
and Congressional district in the country. Those chosen to attend are trained
so they will be prepared to deliver important legislative information
when they meet with members of Congress.
"Going to visit our
United States Senator's office, 14 strong, filling the meeting room, each
person there for a reason made the visit a very powerful experience," said
Beth Walker. "Each person had a 'cancer story' and a reason to ask for financial
support of our senator," said Walker.
Diagnosed with an advanced
stage of cancer, Walker was given only a 15 percent chance of surviving.
Seven years later she says she has become much more involved since being
in remission.
Tracey Hagee also feels the effects cancer can
have personally. After losing family members to cancer over the years,
Hagee feels that a push in legislation to continue funding for research
will help families like hers know that a cure will be found in the future.
Throughout the day, Walker and Hagee participated along with
the many other attendees in events such as a Relay For Life walk around the
Capitol Reflecting Pool and the Wall of Hope, a temporary monument that
showcases individuals and organizations from across the nation delivering
messages of hope to those affected by cancer.
With such a large
turnout for the event, advocates are hopeful that Congress heard their
plea.
"One of the purposes for the Celebration on the Hill event
was to gain national attention. Cancer is such a horrific disease and it
affects so many and is personal for most people," said Walker.
Learn
more about Phi Theta Kappa's Relay
For Life initiative online
