Cancer Bus Tour to Stop in Cheyenne
By Karen Cotton
When: Friday, 11 a.m.Where: Cheyenne Depot Plaza, corner of Capitol Avenue and LincolnwayMore info: Shadows Pub and Grill will provide a light lunch to participants, www.acscan.org/busFast facts about the American Cancer Society Fight Back Express, a mobile action center where people can: Sign the American Cancer Society Action Network petition calling for access to quality health care for all Americans. Complete an electronic Picture a Cure form that includes a volunteer’s photo
By Karen Cotton
kcotton@wyomingnews.com
The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network Fight Back Express bus will make a stop in Cheyenne Friday at the Cheyenne Depot Plaza.
The bus will not only give hope to local cancer survivors like Greta Morrow, who’s also a volunteer, but its many political goals will aid in the fight against cancer.
Dr. Brent Sherard, the director of the Wyoming Department of Health, will be the keynote speaker at the Fight Back Express event.
Sherard and other speakers will talk about the importance of funding cancer research, access to health care and a smoke-free Wyoming.
“That’s a big move across the country for people to cut down on smoking because of the rate of cancer, and that will reduce the cost of treatment in our society,” Morrow said.
The event’s main goals are to discuss the need for cancer research, cancer prevention, early detection programs, tobacco control policies and the work of advocates in Wyoming to increase consumer protections for health insurance policy owners in the state.
People who attend can talk to legislators and political candidates who’ve been invited to the event.
Participants can also e-mail their legislators to take action about cancer research and health insurance on the Fight Back Express bus.
“They vote with their feet just by being there,” Morrow said.
The Fight Back Express is one way for national and state legislators to pay attention to their constituents who are concerned about cancer, she said. People can sign the bus’ rolling petition to legislators. The petition asks lawmakers to ensure finding a cure for cancer is a national priority and to stop the five years of budget freezes and cuts, which have had a negative impact on cancer research.
“They peel off what they sign and store it in the bus and have other layers that people can sign,” Morrow said. “They will eventually have thousands of signatures.
“It’s a visual way to communicate to legislators in (Washington) D.C., and it says, ‘Hey lookey here, your constituents are worried about this,” Morrow said. “When you have cancer like I did, all of these things could be life and death.”
Morrow was diagnosed with both leukemia and lymphoma.
“I had to fight to be able to get benefits for clinical trials that were my only hope for living,” she said. “My insurance company wouldn’t pay benefits.
“I survived a life threatening cancer, a bone marrow transplant, and I got involved with the American Cancer Society.”
Morrow also facilitates the local cancer support group and the I Can Cope cancer education sessions at the Laramie County Library. She successfully lobbied on behalf of legislation to increase medical coverage of cancer patients taking part in clinical trials.
Morrow is also on the committee for C-WISH, the Coalition for Wyoming Insurance Solutions for Healthcare. The Fight Back Express is a on a six month, 25,000-mile trip across the country, ending on Election Day, Nov. 4.
“It’s bringing awareness to,” she said. “The funding (for research) has been frozen or cut back by the government.
“We’re so close to finding a cure for cancer, it’s really too bad that we don’t have the level of funding that we really need.”
(c) 2008 Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.