2018 Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team Symposium
June 25-27, more than 70 patient advocates and medical students took part in this year’s NCCS 2018 Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium and Hill Day.
Symposium Highlights
This year’s CPAT Symposium included more than 70 patient advocates and medical students from across the country who participated in two days of presentations and interactive discussions at the Crystal City Marriott. NCCS introduced live polling to this year’s symposium to get feedback from the attendees on a wide variety of questions and topics.
Now for a third year, advocates were joined by medical students taking part in the Cancer in the Under-Privileged Indigent or Disadvantaged (CUPID) program, a partnership between cancer centers at Johns Hopkins University, Indiana University, and Ohio State University. Advocates and students learn so much from each other’s experiences and perspectives, reinforcing the importance of doctor-patient communication for everyone involved.
2018 Symposium Session Topics
Click the links to view/download the session slide deck (PDF opens in a new tab)
2018 CPAT Symposium Agenda [PDF]
- “The Survivorship Movement: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”
- Panel Discussion: “Cancer Care Planning”
- Breakout Session 1 – Communications Training: Your Story in a Nutshell
- Main Presentation, NCCS Communications Director Dan Weber
- Telling Your Story Session Worksheet
- Breakout Session 2 – Presentation Training: Survivorship 101 (Final slide deck coming soon)
- “State-Based Advocacy: State Cancer Plans and Coalitions”
- Workshop: “Communication and the Language of Cancer”
CUPID Program Leaders:
Sherif Abdel-Misih, MD, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Fred Bunz, MD, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - Yousuf Zafar: “Financial Toxicity”
Yousuf Zafar, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Policy, Duke Cancer Institute - “The State of the Cancer Care System 2018”
Elizabeth Goss, Turner & Goss LLP and NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso - “Staging Your Impact: Meetings with Policymakers”
Zack Marshall, Legislative Director for Rep. John Yarmuth, and NCCS Public Policy Manager Lindsay Houff
Hill Day
On the third day of the Symposium, attendees went to Capitol Hill to meet with their Members of Congress. They asked their Members to cosponsor the Cancer Care Planning and Communications (CCPC) Act, H.R. 5160, which would help incentivize more communication and delivery of cancer care plans for Medicare beneficiaries. The advocates also took the opportunity to reiterate how critical pre-existing condition protections are to their physical and financial well-being, and asked Members to ensure they are not repealed.
It was a successful Hill Day, with 4 new cosponsors to the CCPC Act added that very day. The new Members include: Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-2), Michael Capuano (D-MA-7), Scott Walker (D-CA-25), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-23), and we expect to see more cosponsors added in the coming weeks.
CPAT Members’ Symposium Feedback
“I’ve learned so much! I feel like I have an arsenal of information to go out and start advocacy work.”
“The meeting provided me with so many ideas and tools to move forward in my advocacy programs.”
“This symposium was so inspiring and has given me so much to think about.”
“It was refreshing to receive a review of where we are in terms of survivorship as well as where we need to go.”
“This session set the tone for the whole event. Susie is amazing and so inspiring”
“I learned all sorts of new things! Very informative and so great to have Susie herself present on the topic given her history!”
“I loved this exercise. It made me think outside the box on what it means to be an oncologist or caregiver.”
“Excellent overview of how important communication skills are for all parts of care.”
“I loved the interactive role play. I also think it is incredibly valuable to include medical students.”
“Amazing speaker! This topic is so important and pertinent to me and other cancer patient survivors! I loved all the stats, very informative.”
“The presentation was so well done for a sad situation on cost of coverage and medications.”
“Excellent presentation/speaker. Dr. Zafar’s research is very informative. I plan on looking further into his research and this topic.”
“Gave us a full insight of how to present ourselves and make our point.”
“Great interaction and examples on how to present your story and meet with policymakers.”
Desirée Walker