From April 28-30, hundreds of Susan G. Komen Center for Public Policy volunteers, staff, and partners gathered in Washington, D.C. to learn about and advocate for better breast cancer policy at the 2025 Advocacy Summit.
For three days, the Komen Center for Public Policy team hosted sessions on policy priorities, health equity, the future of research, and best practices for meeting with legislative offices.
The centerpiece of the gathering was a day of meetings on Capitol Hill, where advocates met with Congressional offices to speak out for better breast cancer policy. The Hill Day started with a group photo of the nearly 200 pink-clad advocates on the Capitol Steps. From there, advocates and staff scattered to all corners of the Hill to share their stories and boldly make their asks of offices.
Center for Public Policy advocates, representing 38 states and Washington, D.C. met with 250 Congressional offices. Meetings were held in offices, in hallways, and even cafeterias among the hustle and bustle that makes up daily life on the Hill. Advocates met personally with 30 Members of Congress.
Advocates’ asks were bolstered by a Virtual Day of Action where advocates from across the nation could contact Congress with the click of a button.
For the 2025 Advocacy Summit, Congressional officers were asked to:
- Secure funding for The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) / Support the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act (H.R.2381) For 30 years, NBCCEDP has provided screening and diagnostic services as well as navigation into treatment to women with low incomes who are under- or uninsured. The early detection that this program provides saves lives and reduces costs. But its funding is under threat and the program is operating under an outdated authorization. The SCREENS for Cancer Act would reauthorize and provide important operational updates for this vital safety net program.
- Support the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act (H.R.3037/S.1500). This bill would require private health insurance plans to cover medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging (e.g. diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI) without patient cost sharing.
- Restore $20 million in funding to the Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) at the Department of Defense. Breast cancer significantly impacts American service members and their families, as it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women veterans. This program supports cutting-edge research to better understand prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer that benefit all. But Congress recently cut $20 million from this program.
Alongside the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy, we held a congressional policy briefing to spotlight the ABCD Act and outline the persistent barriers that exist for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging. The event featured remarks from journalist and author Hoda Kotb, Susan G. Komen Advocacy Ambassador Shelarri Anderson and oncologist Elaine Walsh.
Thank you to all the staff, partners, and volunteers who made this special event possible as well as the offices who met with breast cancer advocates from across the nation.
Want to get in on speaking out for better breast cancer policy? It’s easier than you think! Sign up to be an Advocacy Insider and advocate through our Action Center today.
