Webinar – Multi Cancer Early Detection Tools (MCED): The Promise and Challenges
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) hosted an insightful webinar discussion exploring the groundbreaking field of multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tools. As advancements in technology and biology open new avenues for cancer screening, the potential to detect multiple cancer types at earlier stages is both promising and complex. In this conversation, Dr. Otis Brawley […]
From Research to Advocacy: Dottington Fullwood Champions Equity in Cancer Survivorship
Advocate Spotlight: Dottington Fullwood, EdD, CHES Dr. Dottington Fullwood’s connection to cancer began with a deeply personal and professional commitment to addressing health disparities within marginalized communities. He was first introduced to cancer survivorship research by his mentor, Dr. Folakemi T. Odedina, while working in the Cancer Health Equity Research Program (CHERP) lab at the […]
NCCS Presents The State of Cancer Survivorship: 2024 Survey Results
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) conducts an annual State of Survivorship Survey, in partnership with Edge Research, to explore the cancer survivor journey. This study captures a range of perspectives to better understand how NCCS can support its mission to advocate for quality cancer care for everyone touched by cancer. The 2024 State […]
Susie Leigh – Founding a Movement, Shaping the Future
Meet Susan (Susie) Leigh, a four-time cancer survivor and one of the original founders of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. For decades, Susie has been at the forefront of the cancer survivorship movement, advocating for better care and support for those living with and beyond cancer.
NCCS Submits Comments to CMS on the Proposed 2025 Physician Fee Schedule
NCCS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2025. Specifically, NCCS’s comments focused on the codes put in place in CY 2024 to reimburse principal illness navigation (PIN), community health integration (CHI), and social determinants of health (SDOH) assessment. We noted several barriers […]
Breaking Down Barriers: Marielle McLeod’s Commitment to Elevating Voices in Cancer Care
Advocate Spotlight: Marielle McLeod Marielle McLeod’s experience with health care began long before she ever faced her own cancer diagnosis. Raised in the Dominican Republic, Marielle was deeply influenced by her grandmother, who worked in a local hospital pharmacy. “She would take me around and walk me through all the clinics and would show me […]
From Empathy to Action: Andrea Anampa-Guzmán’s Commitment to Survivorship Through Care and Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Dr. Andrea Anampa-Guzmán Dr. Andrea Anampa-Guzmán’s experience in health care began in Lima, Peru, where she was born and pursued her medical degree at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Driven by a deep-rooted passion for helping others and making a tangible impact on people’s lives, Andrea found herself particularly drawn to […]
Patients First: Samantha & Samuel Siegel’s Marriage of Medicine and Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Drs. Samantha and Samuel Siegel Samantha and Samuel Siegel started medical school together at Jefferson Medical College in 2008, the only married couple in their cohort. While Samuel had been managing chronic health conditions since his early 20s, including inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune liver disease, their third year of medical school brought […]
Inspiring Change: Sandra Calloway Fields’ Survivorship Journey from Diagnosis to Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Sandra Calloway Fields Sandra Calloway Fields was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. Just a month after surgery to remove the cancer, Sandra found a lump in her breast during a self-breast exam in the shower. Her suspicions were soon confirmed: Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. “Of course, I was shocked, but […]
Advocating for Change: Ethan Schilling’s Path from Childhood Cancer to Survivor Advocate
Advocate Spotlight: Ethan Schilling A childhood cancer survivor himself, Ethan Schilling’s work as a psychologist is motivated by his commitment to meeting the psychological needs of children, adolescents, and families whose lives have been impacted by cancer and other chronic health conditions. Ethan’s personal experience with cancer started when his twin brother Derek was diagnosed […]
Webinar: Making Integrative Oncology Regular & Routine: A Practical Guide to Meeting the Demands of Patients and the Needs of Health Systems
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) Presents the Survivorship Champions webinar “Making Integrative Oncology Regular & Routine: A Practical Guide to Meeting the Demands of Patients and the Needs of Health Systems.” Conventional cancer treatments usually focus on treating the cancer directly. Integrative oncology treats the whole person, incorporating conventional treatments in addition to […]
Webinar: Black Men Taking Charge of Our Health – A Fireside Chat About “Knowing Your Numbers”
April is National Minority Health Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minority communities and reducing health disparities. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presents a fireside chat between NCCS Vice-Chair Lisa D. T. Rice and Lamont Mitchell, prostate cancer survivor and founder of […]
Finding Hope in Adversity: Alyssa Fischer-Reeder’s Path to Survivorship
In 2003, Alyssa Fischer-Reeder graduated from American University in Washington, DC, with a BA in Education and Communication and decided to enroll in a Master’s program before becoming ill. At first, she noticed that the back of her tongue was a bit sore but soon realized that she could feel a very large hard mass […]
NCCS Submits Comments to CMS on its Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Guidance
NCCS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the second part of its draft guidance for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP). The MPPP was created by the Inflation Reduction Act and allows Medicare beneficiaries to spread the cost of prescription drugs in Medicare Part D over the year, rather […]
Webinar – Compassion in Oncology: A Powerful Antidote to a Patient’s Negative Emotions
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) Presents “Compassion in Oncology: A Powerful Antidote to a Patient’s Negative Emotions,” a webinar featuring Dr. Michael Crain and Claudio Pannunzio from The Patient is U. Their presentation explores the concept of “Empathy + Action = Compassion” and shares the benefits of compassionate care. Compassionate care engenders three […]
Arti Varanasi – Transforming Research and Caregiving into Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Arti Varanasi, PhD Arti Varanasi, PhD, MPH, CPH is the Founder, President and CEO of Advancing Synergy, a social enterprise focused on advancing health equity and health justice through innovations that engage individuals and impact communities. Driven by curiosity and purpose, she is most passionate about building community and capacity and ensuring individuals, […]
In Memoriam: C. Norman “Norm” Coleman, MD, Esteemed Researcher and Advocate for Global Health Equity
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) mourns the loss of Dr. C. Norman “Norm” Coleman, an esteemed researcher, clinician, advocate for global health equity, and friend to NCCS. Dr. Coleman was a 2018 recipient of the Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care. We are grateful for Dr. Coleman’s advocacy and […]
Webinar: Managing Function and Quality of Life of Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) hosted a Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) webinar discussing quality of life for head and neck cancer survivors. The treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) often involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. This treatment is critical for controlling or curing head and neck cancer. Though necessary, these […]
Together We Can: Yvonne McLean Florence’s Journey from Breast Cancer Survivor to Advocate
Advocate Spotlight: Yvonne McLean Florence Before her cancer diagnosis, Yvonne McLean Florence had a full life. She worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, spent lots of time nurturing her family, enjoying her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, and ordained minister, while finding time to enjoy gardening and crafting. […]
NCCS Submits Comments on March-In Rights
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) joined fellow member organizations of the Cancer Leadership Council in submitting comments on the “Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights” issued by the US Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The draft framework provides that prices can be a […]
Webinar: Making the Mouth-Body Connection in Cancer Care
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presents a webinar about oral care — an aspect of cancer treatment that is often overlooked. Oral side effects and untreated dental diseases can cause added pain, financial hardships, psychological distress, and a diminished quality of life for those being treated for cancer. Oral effects can also lead […]
Webinar: NCCS Cancer Policy Roundtable Highlights
During our Fall Cancer Policy Roundtable in November 2023, NCCS hosted a compelling series of panels and guest speakers, discussing important issues in quality cancer survivorship care. As many of our CPAT members across the country were unable to join this in-person event, we wanted to provide highlights from the roundtable on two of the […]
Heart for the Future: Medical Students’ Passion for Cancer Survivorship Fuels Their Future as Oncologists
Advocate Spotlight: Katherine Li, Ryan Hannon, and Noah Davis Katherine Li, Ryan Hannon, and Noah Davis aren’t your average medical students. While they come to the profession like so many others, with a genuine desire to provide quality medical care to their future patients; these young professionals already know they will pursue oncology as their […]
While Staying Healthy in Survivorship Can Be Expensive, Many Insurers Offer Programs to Reduce the Cost
As cancer survivors strive to maintain healthy lifestyles, many are faced with financial hardships and sacrifices due to the high cost of cancer care. According to the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship’s State of Survivorship Survey: 2022, nearly half of respondents in the survey reported experiencing financial hardships and having to make employment and/or educational […]
Webinar – Reconnecting to Life After Cancer: Permission to Feel
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presents “Reconnecting to Life After Cancer: Permission to Feel,” a webinar featuring Kathy Washburn, a certified holistic cancer coach and cancer survivor. In this webinar you will learn about the evolutionary function of both positive and negative emotions, understand that emotions offer data, and begin to practice awareness […]
The Advocate Within: Tamron Little’s Remarkable Journey of Turning Trauma into Triumph
Advocate Spotlight: Tamron Little Tamron Little was a 21-year-old college student and pregnant with her first child when she was misdiagnosed with a fibroid tumor. She’d been experiencing abdominal pain, anemia, and constipation, all symptoms that could easily be attributed to her pregnancy. After giving birth to her son, and treatment to shrink what doctors […]
The Not-So-Good Cancer: Mary Glen’s Inspiring Advocacy Journey
Advocate Spotlight: Mary Glen Mary Glen was serving as an active-duty Army officer, deployed to South Korea in August 2020. Just 24 years old, Mary recalls feeling fatigued, experiencing bouts of depression, hair loss, and brittle nails, but her symptoms were initially attributed to the stress of deployment. “In the Army, the doctor who deploys […]
NCCS Presents 8th Annual Ellen L. Stovall Awards to Phuong Gallagher and Mary McCabe, RN for Their Innovation and Dedication to Cancer Survivors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2023 Washington, D.C. – The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presented the 8th annual Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care to Mary McCabe, RN, MA and Phuong Gallagher on October 26, 2023. Named for former NCCS CEO, Ellen Stovall, who died in 2016 from long-term […]
NCCS, Cancer Leadership Council Express Strong Support for NIH Director Nominee Monica Bertagnolli
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) strongly supports the nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to be the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A surgical oncologist, researcher, and cancer survivor, Dr. Bertagnolli has served as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 2022. NCCS joined other member organizations of the Cancer […]
The Path to Purpose: Marlena Murphy Finds Meaning in the Challenges
Advocate Spotlight: Marlena Murphy Marlena Murphy’s cancer journey began when she discovered a lump in her left breast during her monthly self-check in May 2018. It was a moment that would change her life forever. Marlena contacted her primary care physician and was immediately scheduled for a diagnostic mammogram. Ultrasound imaging and a biopsy followed, […]
NCCS Presents The State of Cancer Survivorship: 2023 Survey Results
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) conducts an annual State of Survivorship Survey, in partnership with Edge Research, to explore the cancer survivor journey. This study captures a range of perspectives to better understand how NCCS can support its mission to advocate for quality cancer care for everyone touched by cancer. The research was […]
Brett Wilson – Navigating Childhood Cancer and Finding Purpose in Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Brett Wilson Brett Wilson’s cancer experience started when she was just two years old. Her mother was concerned because she was sleeping a lot, so she took her to the doctor. Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), her family was told she had little chance of survival. Her father remembered learning she wasn’t […]
NCCS Submits Comments on 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
NCCS submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), offering comments on the Medicare physician fee schedule proposed rule for calendar year 2024. NCCS also joined members of the Cancer Leadership Council (CLC) in submitting additional comments in a separate letter. In the letters, NCCS expressed strong support for the proposals […]
Registration Open: 2023 State of Survivorship Survey Results Briefing | October 3
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) conducts an annual State of Survivorship Survey, in partnership with Edge Research, to delve into the cancer patient and survivor journey. This study captures a range of perspectives to better understand how NCCS can support its mission to advocate for quality cancer care for all. NCCS worked with […]
CMS Announces It Will Retain Breast Reconstruction Codes, A Reversal That Protects Patient Access to DIEP Flap Surgery
Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will retain procedure codes for breast cancer reconstruction, after hearing feedback from NCCS and other patient advocates, patients, and health care professionals. NCCS asked CMS to retain the S codes for breast reconstruction, so that people in need of breast reconstruction have access […]
Championing Survivorship: Woody Brokenburr’s Lifelong Dedication to Cancer Advocacy
Woodrow “Woody” Brokenburr was diagnosed with cancer when he was 9 years old, after a biopsy revealed that the lump on his left thigh was osteosarcoma. In the 1960s, pediatric cancer care was challenging, even more so for Black children living in the racially segregated south, as access to quality care was limited. Effective chemotherapy […]
NCCS Announces New Elevate Ambassadors Selected to Improve Survivorship In Their Communities
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) is proud to announce the participants of the 2023 – 2024 Elevating Survivorship program. After a competitive application process, NCCS selected 10 individuals from across the United States to serve as Elevate Ambassadors. The Elevate Ambassadors will receive mentorship, support, networking opportunities, and training to develop and execute a […]
NCCS to Recognize Phuong Gallagher and Mary McCabe, RN, with 2023 Ellen L. Stovall Award
NCCS is pleased to announce the 2023 winners of the Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care are Phuong Gallagher and Mary McCabe, RN, MA. They will be recognized at the 2023 Ellen L. Stovall Award Reception on Thursday, October 26, 2023. NCCS presents the Stovall Award annually to two recipients who […]
Championing Survivorship: Nurse Practitioner Sanna Ali’s Dedication to a Career in Cancer Survivorship
Sanna Ali is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner currently pursuing her PhD in Nursing at The George Washington University. Sanna started her nursing career as a registered nurse in an inpatient pediatric hematology oncology unit. She shares that working with childhood cancer patients had one of the most profound impacts on her life. “The experience was […]
NCCS Board Member in STAT News Op-Ed: CMS must protect access to the ‘gold standard of breast reconstruction’
STAT News recently published an op-ed by NCCS Board Vice Chair Lisa D. T. Rice on the threat to access of DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. In 1983, I flew home from college to be with my mother as she woke up from a mastectomy. She opted out of breast reconstruction, choosing to “go flat” […]
NCCS Applauds the Re-Introduction of the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act (CCSA)
On Friday, Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) reintroduced H.R. 4363/S.2213, the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act (CCSA). This bipartisan legislation addresses the health of cancer survivors throughout the entire continuum of care – from diagnosis to active treatment and post-treatment […]
Arsenic and Advocacy: Sarah Cohn’s Experience with Rare Leukemia Spurs Action
Diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), Sarah Cohn’s cancer diagnosis at the age of 30 took her by surprise. Sarah had just started a new job when symptoms appeared. “For survivors, it seems like there is always one thing that happens that leads directly to their diagnosis, and then […]
NCCS Urges CMS to Preserve Access to DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted a public meeting, in which they sought input on its decision to sunset the S code for deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction. NCCS has engaged in advocacy, along with other patient advocacy organizations and health care providers, to encourage CMS to reinstate the codes. The decision to end […]
Webinar – Survivorship at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center: Creating a Practical Workflow
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) hosted a Survivorship Champions webinar about survivorship care implementation, “Survivorship at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center: Creating a Practical Workflow.” In this webinar, Dr. Stacy Wentworth and Jill Hyson, MSN, NP-C discuss survivorship care as a critical component of a patient’s cancer journey. The presenters […]
Sandra Finestone, PsyD: Be Bold and Don’t Hesitate – A 30-year Survivor’s Advice on Advocacy
Advocate Spotlight: Sandra Finestone, PsyD A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and life-changing, but for Sandra Finestone, it ignited a passion for advocacy that has lasted for more than 30 years. Sandra’s journey as a breast cancer survivor began in her late thirties when she discovered a lump in her breast during a routine check-up. […]
Accessing COVID-19 Resources After the Public Health Emergency Ends
The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), which has been in effect since early 2020, will end on May 11, 2023. The federal government may continue to distribute free COVID-19 tests from its supply of purchased COVID-19 treatments, tests, and vaccines through the United States Postal Service, states, and other community partners. While this supply remains, […]
NCCS Urges Insurance Companies to Preserve Access to DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
This week, NCCS joined other patient advocacy organizations and medical professional societies in submitting a letter to the CEOs of major insurance companies, expressing concerns with recent insurance coverage policy changes that have limited access to DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. Specifically, the letter asks these insurance companies to engage with individuals who have received […]
Webinar – Amplifying Your Message: Advocating Through Traditional Media Channels
NCCS hosted a CPAT webinar on leveraging traditional media for cancer advocacy with public relations and marketing expert Michael Holtz. While social media is an important tool for amplifying cancer advocacy messages, traditional media outlets like newspapers, television, and radio, and their digital counterparts, are still relevant and can help raise awareness and put pressure […]
NCCS and Cancer Leadership Council Issue Comments on Implementation of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
NCCS joined with other member organizations of the Cancer Leadership Council (CLC) in a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to comment on the Initial Memorandum for Implementation of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. In the letter, NCCS and 10 other cancer organizations — representing cancer patients, health care professionals, […]
Lisa Rice – My Breast Cancer Journey: Many Lessons Learned and More in Store
During my final semester of college, a life-changing call came. My mother was in the hospital, waiting for results of a biopsy of a tumor she’d found in her breast. My father told me that she’d already decided, if the tumor was malignant, she would proceed with a radical mastectomy […]
Ruth Travis: Cancer Is Not a Death Sentence. It’s a License to Live.
Ruth Travis knows the power of early detection. She started getting regular mammograms when she was 40 years old. After 22 years, the annual process was nothing new. In 2007, Ruth arrived for her annual screening mammogram […]
NCCS Joins With Patient Advocates and Health Care Professionals to Call on CMS to Ensure Access to DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction
WASHINGTON, DC, April 3, 2023 – Advocates for individuals in need of breast reconstruction surgery delivered a letter and petition to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today, urging them to reinstate a procedure code that is essential for access to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction surgery. More than 4,600 […]
NCCS Urges President Biden and Congress to Support and Protect Medicaid
This week, NCCS joined with more than 30 patient advocacy organizations as part of the Partnership to Protect Coverage to urge President Biden and Congress to support and protect the Medicaid program during any upcoming fiscal discussions. The letter calls on the White House and Congress to reject changes to Medicaid’s current financing structure and […]
NCCS Advocates for Access to DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction Surgery
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship recently joined the Community Breast Reconstruction Alliance (CBRA), a group of patient advocacy organizations and health care providers who are working together to advocate for access to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction surgery. Patient education regarding breast reconstruction includes a review of options, including breast reconstruction […]
Betsy Glosik: A Cancer Survivor’s Journey Towards Integrative Healing and Advocacy
For Betsy Glosik, the early 2000s brought one trauma after another. She lost her aunt to melanoma. Then, tragically she lost her 20-yr old daughter to a car accident. In 2003, after years of mentioning her concerns about a mole on her foot to her dermatologist, and repeatedly having her concerns dismissed, Betsy was diagnosed with melanoma…
Webinar – Implementing the ASCO Guidelines for Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Management with Your Patients and Practice
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) hosted a Survivorship Champions webinar discussing the American Society for Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) Guidelines for Exercise, Nutrition, and Weight Management and how to best implement them in a clinical setting. Sami Mansfield, founder of Cancer Wellness for Life, and Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, PhD, RD, a professor of nutrition sciences […]
Webinar – How to Lead a Heart Healthy Life – Norrisa Haynes, MD
In this webinar hosted by NCCS, Cardiologist Dr. Norrisa Haynes of Yale University presents the basics of heart disease, including risk factors and the interplay between heart disease and cancer. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death worldwide, despite medical advancements, and can result from risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, […]
Erin Cummings’s Journey as a Long-Term Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Survivor
Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during her freshman year of high school at the age of 15, Erin Cummings recalls finding two lumps and not thinking much of them. “Cancer was the farthest thing from my mind,” she said. When her sister later noticed the lumps, Erin finally told her mom and found herself in the hospital […]
Sharon Rivera-Sanchez: Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor Finds Passion in Fitness and Advocacy
As a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor, Sharon turned her personal experience into a passion for advocacy and giving back to the community. When she received her diagnosis in May 2015, she remembers being in a state of shock and grief. She said, “You have to allow yourself time to breathe and grieve.”
NCCS Celebrates Launch of Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act
Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), a champion for cancer survivors and a survivor herself, held a press conference today to introduce the Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act (CCSA), new comprehensive survivorship legislation that will directly benefit cancer survivors. She was joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who will lead the legislation in […]
