Pryce Recognized as a Ray of Hope by the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship
Other Honorees included Katie Couric, Norman Schwartzkopf
Washington, DC – Last week, Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) was honored with the Ray of Hope Award from the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) for her many efforts over her career to fight the disease and for her strong support for patients, their families, and cancer research.
More than 500 guests attended the event at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington to show their support for NCCS and cancer survivorship. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship is the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country and a highly respected voice at the federal level, advocating for quality cancer care for all Americans and empowering cancer survivors.
In addition serving as Co-Chair of the House Cancer Caucus and founding the pediatric cancer nonprofit organization Hope Street Kids, Pryce has been a longtime advocate and leader in the U.S. House in the fight against cancer. Pryce’s legislative resume of bills she authored includes the following:
- Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (GME) : Law that provides millions of dollars to Columbus Children’s Hospital, and hospitals across the nation, to train future pediatricians and oncology specialists through the Children’s Hospital Graduate Education program.
- Access to Cancer Therapies Act: Initiative included in the Medicare Modernization Act providing seniors with coverage of innovative oral anti-cancer drugs.
- Compassionate Care for Children Act: Provides grants to children’s hospitals, hospices and home health agencies to better train and educate professionals who care for sick children, and dedicate funds to conduct research for pediatric pain and symptom management. The bill also allows children to have access to a full range of care options that most appropriately meet their needs.
- Patient Navigator, Outreach, and Chronic Disease Prevention Act: Implements “p atient navigator programs” to assist individuals – particularly in rural and underserved areas -- in obtaining coverage through Medicaid or other sources, help them obtain cancer screening or counseling about disease prevention, and make referrals for treatment should an abnormality be detected. Signed into law in 2005.
- Access to Cancer Clinical Trials: Measure to increase enrollment in cancer clinical trials by requiring health plans to pay for the routine care costs when a cancer patent enrolls in a clinical trial.
- Conquer Childhood Cancer Act: Legislation providing increased support for biomedical research programs into pediatric cancer; establishing a childhood cancer database to help researchers identify genetic causes and develop prevention strategies; authorizing the development, construction, and operation of a comprehensive online information system to provide patients and their families with information on childhood cancer and support services; and establishing a fellowship program in pediatric cancer research to encourage young researchers to focus on pediatric oncology.
In addition to Congresswoman Pryce, the 2006 Ray of Hope recipients were:
- The Honorable Lois Capps
- Katie Couric
- Sam Donaldson
- Dr. John Durant
- Dr. Harold Freeman
- Scott Hamilton
- The Honorable Connie Mack III
- Pearl Moore
- Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan
- Queen Noor of Jordan
- Dr. Antonia Novello
- Cokie Roberts
- The Honorable John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV
- Dr. Julia Rowland
- Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA (Ret)
- Lilly Tartikoff
- Jessica Turri.
- Institute of Medicine
- Cancer Survival Toolbox® Team.
More information about the NCCS, the Ray of Hope Award, or any of the recipients can be found at: http://www.canceradvocacy.org/.
