In just a few days, nearly 750 cancer advocates will arrive in Washington, D.C. to participate in ACS CAN’s annual Leadership Summit & Lobby Day (LS&LD), a 3-day event where volunteers meet with their congressional delegation to advocate for critical cancer issues. But the event is also an all-encompassing opportunity for volunteers to learn, share and grow together as they help make cancer a national priority.
On Sunday, ACS CAN hosts the National Advocacy Leadership Awards to recognize volunteers and staff who have exemplified tremendous support of ACS and ACS CAN’s shared mission to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.
Monday is the Leadership Summit, where volunteers learn more about how they can use their voices to impact change. They attend informational sessions with experts in the field to understand how federal legislation impacts the cancer burden in their communities, as well as smaller breakout sessions based on their interests, from honing their storytelling skills to learning about emerging issues in the cancer space. To prepare for their lawmaker meetings, volunteers practice leading Hill meetings, coached by ACS CAN, on the meeting format and legislative asks.
Lobby Day, on Tuesday, is truly inspiring. All the volunteers wear their signature ACS CAN blue shirts (pictured here). Imagine it—hundreds of passionate advocates arriving on Capitol Hill, ready to engage their lawmakers by sharing their personal connection to cancer and why they’re advocating for policies that will improve the lives of cancer patients and their families. The energy is absolutely electric.
What will our advocates discuss with their lawmakers? In 2025, they will ask Congress to: 
Secure the highest possible funding for cancer research and prevention programs, including:
$1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
$51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $7.934 billion for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Support final passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 842/S. 339).
Advocate for a pathway to extend health care tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. These credits currently make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans.
New this year, on Tuesday, we’ll also host an event just off of Capitol Hill : Patients Coming Together to Protect Cancer Cures. Speakers will share their experiences with cancer and explain why they’re advocating to protect funding for cancer research.
"Leadership Summit & Lobby Day always feels like a homecoming for me,” says Korinne Moore Berenson, ACS CAN Senior Director, Grassroots Campaigns. “It is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and see growth with our volunteers and their commitment to advocacy on behalf of millions of people with cancer, survivors and their caregivers. Our organization has grown throughout the years into a powerful cancer-fighting movement, and every September as we walk the halls of Congress, we show the power of people coming together for good in a meaningful way. This year has had ups and downs, wins and losses, but I know because of the power of our volunteers, we will continue to make progress in the fight against cancer. We will raise our voices to ensure we end cancer as we know it, for everyone."
Lobby Day culminates with the Lights of Hope ceremony on Tuesday evening, 10,000 lights at Constitution Gardens to honor those who have been touched by cancer and remember those we’ve lost. Across the country, a grand total of 80,000 lights will be displayed at various local displays.
Before returning home on Wednesday, volunteers recap their meetings on Capitol Hill, celebrate the work of elected officials in our fight, and recognize the donors and fundraisers who help fuel our mission. This year they will also have a final opportunity to learn in an additional breakout session. As volunteers become stronger cancer advocates, the stronger their impact becomes in the fight against cancer.
Although Leadership Summit & Lobby Day is an in-person event, there are also opportunities to participate from home! Please send your member of Congress a message asking them to prioritize cancer research funding. You can also follow along on social media with the hashtags #CancerLobbyDay and #LightsOfHope, and via the live social media wall. Your participation can help make this week even more impactful in the fight against cancer.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.