Breast Cancer Survivors and Advocates Call on Congress to Maintain Commitment to Breast Health Care Access, Ensure Treatment Parity

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Women's Health Weekly -- Komen advocates from its community Affiliate Network visited 360 offices in both the House and Senate to push for maintaining the government's commitment to vital safety net programs, such as the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. They also discussed the importance of ensuring parity between the way insurance covers oral chemotherapy, which often is governed by prescription drug benefit rules, and traditional IV treatments, which often have lower co-pays (see also Susan G. Komen).

"Everything we do is aimed at ending this disease, and helping the millions of people who need us, every single day," said Judith A. Salerno, M.D., M.S., Komen's President and CEO, noting that Komen is also encouraging increases for biomedical research funding. "The fact is that biomedical research funding has dropped by 25 percent in real dollar terms over the past 10 years and we run the risk that medical research will stall. We urge the federal government to increase this important funding."

The Summit kicked off with a dinner that featured remarks from Lunden, who discussed how her diagnosis has inspired her to educate other women. She was joined by Dr. Salerno and Nancy Brinker, Susan G. Komen Founder and Chair of Global Strategy. The week ended with a lunch featuring a talk from singer and songwriter Nikia Hammonds-Blakely, a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with the disease when she was 16 years old. About Susan G. Komen® Susan G. Komen is the world's largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $847 million in research and provided $1.8 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy's life. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social. Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150417005919/en/

Keywords for this news article include: Oncology, Breast Cancer, Susan G. Komen, Women's Health.

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