GO2 for Lung Cancer’s Voices Summit is the only annual meeting that brings the lung cancer community together for education, training, connection, and advocacy action with our federal government, the largest funder of cancer research.  

This month, nearly 200 advocates from 31 states gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 2024 Voices Summit. Attendees learned about the latest in lung cancer treatment and research, received advocacy training, connected with fellow attendees from across the country, and took on Capitol Hill to share their unique stories with their representatives to demand change for the lung cancer community. 

By the numbers

This year was a milestone event in more ways than one. Highlights include: 

  • 150 meetings with representatives on Capitol Hill 
  • 198 attendees, including 109 first-timers 
  • 1,113 messages sent to lawmakers, amplifying our in-person asks 

Our key priorities

Advocates made three specific asks of their representatives to support the lung cancer community:  

  • Support lung cancer research with a request for $60 million for the Lung Cancer Research Program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs administered by the Department of Defense 
  • Support cancer research with a request for: 
    • $51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
    • $7.9 billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 
  • Co-sponsor and enact two bills: 
    • H.R. 4534/S.2245: Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2023, sponsored by Representative Boyle and Senator Rubio 
    • H.R. 2407/S.2085: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act, sponsored by Representative Arrington and Senator Crapo 

Award recipients 

We ended the event on a high note with an awards presentation to recognize and celebrate some particularly impactful members of the lung cancer community. Congratulations to these dedicated 2024 award winners:  

  • Christine Conti, RN, ONN-CG, our Lung Cancer Support Group Facilitator awardee. Christine was recognized for her twelve-year dedication to leading and maintaining her support group in Pasadena, California.  
  • Cliff Norton (in memoriam), our Volunteer Advocacy Award recipient. Cliff was a dear friend to many and a fearless lung cancer advocate—known for his grit, grace, and determination to bring life-saving change for people impacted by lung cancer. 

Raise your voice year-round! 

No need to wait until the next Voices Summit to be a lung cancer advocate. You can add your voice to amplify our ongoing legislative priorities from home. We need to keep up the momentum year-round to create lasting change. Send a pre-drafted message to lawmakers from home in just minutes through Voter Voice. 

SEND A MESSAGE TO LAWMAKERS

Save the date! Next year’s Lung Cancer Voices Summit will take place March 9-11, 2025, in Washington, D.C.  

Thank you to our 2024 Lung Cancer Voices Summit sponsors 

AstraZeneca, Amgen, Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead, GRAIL, and Regeneron