This month we pause to give thanks for the over 1,200 members of the Dana-Farber Legislative Action Network (LAN). Thanks to your advocacy and feedback over the last year, LAN launched a new educational series called Advocacy Rounds. In the first installment in March, Advocacy Rounds: Legislate, Educate and Advocate, many of you joined us to  learn the basics of the state legislative process and how you can get involved. 

In June, the LAN hosted Advocacy Rounds: Testify and Amplify, where we heard from Zoe Burns an advocate from the Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and Joe Chabot, Director of Pediatric Resource Program, as they demonstrated how to share your story by giving verbal testimony at a legislative hearing. While Zoe and Joe couldn't attend a public hearing held that month, they shared their verbal testimony with the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing via recorded video, something that LAN advocates had never done before.

This month, over twenty advocates signed onto thirteen pieces of written testimony in support of the breast cancer equity and early detection bill.  We appreciate everyone who took time to share their story in writing. In addition, we want to thank the four advocates who shared their stories and expertise during the hearing: Rebecca Birch, Director, State Policy & Advocacy, Susan G. Komen®, Dr. Brittany Bychkovsky, a physician at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Frantz Berthaud, patient caregiver and administrative director at Dana-Farber. In addition, Laura Sitterley, a member of the LAN shared her story during the hearing alongside her State Senator Mike Rush, the Senate lead sponsor of the breast cancer equity and early detection bill.

In total, over the past year, advocates like you have shared your stories and expertise and submitted over thirty letters of written testimony, which were signed by over forty advocates in support of our eight priority bills that are currently before the State Legislature. We are deeply grateful for this sharing of your stories, your time, and your talents.

On the Federal front, in September, three members of the Pediatric PFAC, Nicole Abair, Christina Campbell, and Jennifer Martin, along with Dana-Farber clinical researcher, Dr. Clare Malone, participated in the annual Rally for Medical Research. These advocates shared their stories with members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to shed light on the need for increased funding for medical research, with an important focus on the need for funding for pediatric cancer research.

While we have all accomplished much together in this past year, there is still much work to be done. You can join us by taking a few minutes today to visit our website, www.dana-farber.org/advocacy where you will find action alerts and all the tools you need to take meaningful action to advance the issues that you have told us matter the most to you. 

Thank you again for being a part of the Dana-Farber Legislative Action Network and for your willingness to share your stories in service of making systemic and lasting change to advance health justice and equity, cancer prevention, access to care and funding for medical research.