Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium

June 26 – 28, 2024 — Arlington, VA

Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport

1999 Richmond Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202

Advocate Scholarship Application

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) offers a limited number of scholarships to help CPAT members attend the CPAT Symposium in the Washington, DC area. Advocate scholarships provide financial assistance to those who would otherwise be unable to attend.

To optimize our scholarship budget to help as many advocates as possible, NCCS has made changes to the scholarships for 2024:

  1. Some travel stipend levels have been adjusted, and
  2. CPAT members who are eligible for the advocate scholarship receive a discounted rate of $75 per night on hotel accommodations. Recipients can fundraise the $150 balance or pay it with their registration.

In 2023, approximately 20 individuals remained on the waitlist due to our limited capacity. These changes will give more people the opportunity to participate.

Scholarship Application Requirements

Two advocates at the 2023 CPAT SymposiumApplicants must live in the United States or US Territories.

Recipients must agree to use the scholarship to attend the entire CPAT Symposium, which begins at 2:00 PM ET on Wednesday, June 26 and ends at 2:00 PM ET on Friday, June 28.

By applying for and accepting a scholarship, recipients must agree to participate in Hill Day to advocate for survivorship legislation championed by NCCS. Educational materials will be provided in advance of the CPAT Symposium to help you prepare for meetings with your members of Congress.

Scholarship recipients must provide a brief testimonial (250 words) after the Symposium. The testimonial should summarize the recipient’s overall experience and the education they gained from attending the meeting. NCCS may post the testimonial or quotes on NCCS’s website and may share testimonials or quotes with funders who make the Symposium possible.

You are not eligible to receive a scholarship in 2024 under the following conditions:

  • You accepted scholarship funds in the past and did not attend, without proper notice to NCCS; or
  • You received a scholarship and did not complete the required testimonial.

Travel stipends and hotel accommodations discount will only be awarded to those who live more than 60 miles from the Symposium location.

Survivorship Challenge: DC or Bust

Advocates on Capitol Hill on Hill Day 2023

Join the Survivorship Challenge: DC or Bust fundraiser to raise funds for NCCS and help other survivor advocates attend the CPAT Symposium. If you raise $500 or more, you are eligible to take part in a guided tour of the Capitol!

We recommend that you first read the Survivorship Challenge Fundraising Guide and then create your fundraising page here. NCCS will hold an informational webinar in February to provide tips for a successful fundraiser.

Learn More and Create Your Fundraiser

If you have questions or concerns about the fundraiser, please email Karen Wilson at kwilson@canceradvocacy.org.

Scholarship Details

Travel

Advocate scholarships are awarded as travel stipends based on distance from conference location:

  • $150 for VA, MD, WV, or DE residents who live more than 60 miles from the Symposium location.
  • $300 for residents of AL, CT, FL, GA, IN, KY, MA, ME, MI, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, and VT.
  • $350 for residents of IL, KS, LA, NE, OK, TX, and US Territories.
  • $400 for residents of AR, AZ, CO, IA, ID, MN, MO, MT, ND, NM, NV, SD, UT, WI, and WY.
  • $500 for residents of AK, CA, HI, OR, and WA.

Note: NCCS will not provide travel stipend reimbursement to individuals who are not able to attend due to illness, or unforeseen circumstances. Direct deposit and check reimbursement will only be provided to those in attendance at the Symposium.

Hotel Accommodations

Advocate scholarships also include two nights of discounted hotel accommodations of $75 per night – June 26 and June 27 at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport.

You must live more than 60 miles from the conference location to be eligible for the discounted rate on hotel accommodations. You are responsible for any charges to the room and if damages occur. NCCS will make your hotel reservation for you, and you will receive confirmation from the hotel in June 2024.

NCCS will add $75 to the travel stipend for each attendee who chooses to share a room. We ask that you identify a roommate with whom you would like to share. You can search for a roommate on our CPAT Members Facebook group. Please visit the CPAT Members group page (request to join—if you are a CPAT member, you will be accepted).

The CPAT Symposium starts at 2:00 PM ET on June 26 and has a limited number of hotel rooms on Tuesday, June 25 for discounted rate of $75. These will be prioritized for those traveling from the West Coast.

Reimbursements

You have the option of receiving reimbursement by direct deposit or check. By selecting direct deposit, NCCS will arrange to collect your account information prior to the Symposium and your stipend will be directly deposited into your account during the Symposium. Reimbursement checks will be distributed the morning of June 28 at breakfast. You must also turn in a completed Symposium evaluation. No checks will be distributed prior to the events on the morning of June 28. You must personally pick up your check.

If you have questions or concerns, please email Veronika Panagiotou, PhD at vpanagiotou@canceradvocacy.org.

Scholarship Application

We are currently at capacity for the Advocate Scholarship. If you are interested in attending, please add your name to the wait list below and we will contact you if a spot opens up.