It is a time of renewal. A new calendar year. A new President, Vice President, and administration. A new Congress. A new state legislative session. Importantly, a new opportunity for advocates like you to share your story.
 
In the words of Amanda Gorman, our first National Youth Poet Laureate who spoke so movingly at last week’s inauguration:
 
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
If only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it
 
We invite you join us as we bravely dare to imagine a world where we see cancer eradicated, where we see racial inequities eliminated and where we see no patient ever facing barriers to access the health care they need.
 
Whether you are new to the Dana-Farber Legislative Action Network (LAN) or a longtime advocate, we are thrilled that you have chosen to be a part of this network. We are a brave and vibrant group of patients, providers, families, caregivers, and cancer survivors advocates committed to advancing equity-focused policies around cancer care, public health and cancer prevention and legislation that will fuel innovation and research and improve lives.
 
We look forward to renewing our commitment to working with you in the year ahead to find meaningful and impactful opportunities to bravely share your voice and advocate on the issues that matter most to you.
 
While these continue to be challenging times, we hope you will take advantage of the new exciting advocacy and educational opportunities that the LAN will offer virtually in 2021. Please be on the lookout for future newsletters where we will share our new state legislative agenda and the opportunities to participate in advocacy on these priorities.
 
As we look back on 2020, we would like to extend our gratitude to you -- who despite the challenges over the past year, took time to be brave, to advocate and to make your voices heard. Because of you, we had legislative victories on policy issues regarding telehealth, access to clinical trials for historically underserved populations, improved access to pediatric palliative care and several victories on tobacco use prevention. These successes were made possible because you were brave enough to advocate on these issues and be a voice for change.