Easter Recess, NCI Funding, and You:

WHILE CONGRESS IS ON BREAK, CHILDHOOD CANCER ADVOCATES PRESS ON FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH FUNDING. JOIN US:

Members of Congress are back home for a two-week district work period -- also known as Easter Recess. If you're interested in meeting with your Congressional representatives about childhood cancer issues, this is an ideal time to find your Senators and Representative somewhere near you!

Congress isn't due back to Washington until Monday, April 29th, and they're spending this time back home meeting with constituents just like you. If you'd like to meet with your Member of Congress to share your childhood cancer story, here's a good place to start: CCCA's Guide to Congressional District Office Visits. You may also want to check Town Hall Project to see if there's a town hall or "constituent coffee" event happening near you.

When Congress returns to Washington at the end of April, they will resume budget talks for fiscal year 2020. So now is the time to emphasize to your Senators and Representative the life-saving importance of robust funding for the National Institutes of Health, including the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Talking Points on NCI Funding:

  • The Trump Administration has called for a 17 percent cut to NCI funding for fiscal year 2020, which would have a devastating impact on cancer research and significantly delay progress toward reaching cures.

  • Cancer remains the number one disease killer of children, and some pediatric cancers remain terminal upon diagnosis.

  • The vast majority of childhood cancer research is funded by the NCI, which provides grants to researchers and supports cooperative groups that test new treatments in clinical trials.

If you do interact with a Member of Congress about NCI funding or another childhood cancer issue, please take a moment to share your experience with us via this Meeting Report form. This information will remain confidential within Children's Cause staff and serves to help us improve our advocacy and refine our own work with these offices.

Thank you for taking the time to share your story and our shared cause with lawmakers who have the power to create meaningful change for our kids.

PolicyJessica Kean