RAC Visits D.C.

On June 22 and 23, Ashley (PR&Marketing Director for RAC), Lisa White Ph.D (Founder of RAC) and I (Jordan the intern) went to Washington D.C. to lobby Congress to support pediatric cancer research funding. Last year with the passage f the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, Congress said they would support up to $30million in pediatric cancer research for the next five years. Lisa, Ashley and I along with Tony Covington, a CureSearch employee (pictured top with Jordan and Ashley), and the Sheehans, a family who recently suffered the loss of their six-year-old son to leukemia, made up the North Carolina team. The seven of us spent Monday training to be effective lobbyists. Dr. George Reaman, head of the Children’s Oncology Group, shared some very hopeful updates in pediatric cancer treatments with the group of about 300. We also got to hear from former Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (pictured bottom with Lisa and Ashley) who sponsored the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act after her 9-year-old daughter, Caroline, for whom the bill was named, died from cancer.




Tuesday began with a rally on Capitol Hill where several congressmen and women spoke. The day was then spent visiting several North Carolina congressmen’s offices as well as Senator Kay Hagan’s. The day was at times emotional and overall tiring but we were met with support and positive reception by most of the offices. Our visit was part of CureSearch’s annual Reach the Day event, an event that brings together families, caregivers and researchers in the hopes that we will one day reach the day where all pediatric cancers will have a 100% cure rate. Making sure our government supports pediatric cancer research is one step in the right direction to reaching that day.