Political Quotes

“I rise today to welcome to our Nation's Capitol patient advocates from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network for their annual fly-in. This week, 700 advocates representing every State and all 435 congressional delegations and districts will be raising awareness of the urgent need for policies that improve cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and patient support. It is truly an honor to have these advocates with us this week sharing their stories of resilience, loss, determination, and hope. Like so many of these advocates, I know firsthand the impact cancer can have on our families. On June 10, 2021, I lost my beloved mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell, to pancreatic cancer. Like so many patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my mother's cancer was not detected until it was stage IV, and therefore, was not treatable. Tragically, the cancer took her life 8 short weeks after her diagnosis. It was a shock to our entire family, the lingering effects of which I feel every day. In an effort to turn my pain into passion, I made a commitment to do all that I could to prevent other families from experiencing such a painful loss. That is why I am proud to be leading legislation alongside my Republican colleague, Congressman Jodey Arrington from Texas, to expand access to early detection cancer screenings.”