The event will take place on October 22nd from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at witf, 4801 Lindle Road, Harrisburg and will include a presentation from LLS Office of Public Policy staff, followed by an open discussion on current issues in PA including orally administered cancer treatment parity, federal issues affecting cancer patients, and engaging advocates to make a difference. (Click here for directions to witf)
LLS is committed to removing access barriers to coordinate, quality care for cancer patients in Pennsylvania. They are encouraging community members to come and share their thoughts about what matters to cancer patients in the central PA community. Attendees will gain valuable information about how advocacy and policy can make a difference.
“In this day and age, you can almost guarantee that at least one person you talk to during the course of your day has been directly impacted by cancer, or knows someone who has or had cancer….it could be a relative, friend, or co-worker. Until you’re in the situation, you have no idea of the challenges they are facing, not just physically and emotionally, but financially too,” said Lori Reese, LLS Central PA Board of Trustee and Advocacy Chair. “It is so important that we as a community learn the issues that cancer patients and their families are facing and how we can join together to make a difference in the treatment and care they receive. I think the Town Hall Meeting will be a great learning opportunity for us to have meaningful conversation about a disease that affects so many people in our region.”
The mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to curing blood cancer. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services, including research, patient services and public policy advocacy, to name a few.
The Central Pennsylvania Chapter annually holds a Lobby Day at the Capitol in Harrisburg. In February 2013, volunteers, patients, family members, and supporting organizations from across PA will come together to in Harrisburg to advocate for legislation that will ensure equitable insurance coverage for cancer treatment for patients in PA.
“We are engaging in a massive fight with cancer,” said Elizabeth Mihmet, executive director of the Central PA Chapter of LLS. “It’s about working together for a better and stronger commonwealth for our families.”
For more information or for to become an advocate, contact The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Central PA Chapter at (717) 652-6520 or at http://www.lls.org/aboutlls/chapters/cpa/.
Learn more about the event's discussion topics here.