Michelle Zimmerman
Associate Director, Regional Media Advocacy
Courage in Action: Cancer Survivors Unite at State Capitol to Advocate for Change
Illinois Must Do Better to Reduce the Burden of Cancer
May 6, 2026
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Today, cancer patients, survivors and caregivers from across the state traveled to the Statehouse to meet with their elected officials during Cancer Action Day. They wore their “suits and sneakers” to ask lawmakers to hit the ground running to make cancer a policy priority.
“As a colorectal cancer survivor, I can tell you firsthand how critical screenings are. If I hadn’t been screened when I was, I might not be here today,” said Oteria Folie, an Illinois mother, grandmother, wife and survivor. “In Springfield today, my fellow advocates and I urged our state lawmakers to follow the Governor’s lead and maintain funds for the colorectal cancer screening program—because these screenings save lives.”
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States among men and women combined. Here in Illinois, an estimated 6,160 residents were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and 2,080 will pass away this year. Advocates asked lawmakers to maintain $2 million in funding for lung and colorectal cancer prevention, with $1 million allocated directly to colorectal cancer screening efforts statewide.
Additionally, advocates asked lawmakers to support Senate Bill 3509 to update Illinois’ biomarker testing coverage law, increasing equitable access to proven testing and ensuring more Illinois patients receive the right treatment at the right time. Five years ago, Illinois made history by becoming the first state to pass legislation expanding insurance coverage for evidence-based biomarker testing. Since then, twenty-two states have followed Illinois’ lead, enacting similar laws to improve access to this valuable testing.
An estimated 78,880 Illinoisans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and 23,230 are expected to die from the devastating disease. Those gathered at the Statehouse today are calling on Illinois lawmakers to change this by taking steps to prioritize the fight against cancer.
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