Minnesotan receives national award for excellence in cancer advocacy

Robianne Schultz of Perham, Minn., was recently named the State Lead Ambassador of the Year by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) for her tireless volunteer and advocacy efforts to help make cancer a national priority. 

This annual award is presented to a lead state volunteer who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in advocating for ACS CAN’s area of cancer-related public policy.

“As the ACS CAN State Lead Ambassador, Robianne has inspired her fellow Minnesotans to advocate for the many cancer patients and survivors in her home state and across the country,” said Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “We are grateful for Robianne’s outstanding contributions to public policies that can reduce death and suffering from cancer.”

ACS CAN is the nation’s largest cancer advocacy organization and supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. As the State Lead Ambassador for Minnesota, Schultz works with lawmakers, staff members and other volunteers to set legislative campaign goals for the state. 

“Robianne has volunteered with ACS CAN for a decade, even as she tackled her own cancer diagnosis,” said Ellie Beaver, ACS CAN’s government relations director for Minnesota. “She has met with countless lawmakers at every level of government to help them understand how they play a part in cancer patients’ treatment and experience. But her influence doesn’t stop there. She inspires volunteers, staff and me personally to work as hard as we can to end cancer. I’m so happy for her to receive this recognition.”

The award was presented on Sunday, Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual ACS CAN Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. More than 700 cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones traveled to the nation’s capital to meet with their elected officials and urge them to make cancer a national priority.

Schultz’s first name is pronounced ROH-bee-an.

ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.  ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

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