Lisa A. Lacasse Highlighted Matthew Chen’s Advocacy Against NIH and NCI Budget Cuts with ACS CAN
Lisa A. Lacasse, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), shared a post on LinkedIn:
“From state capitals around the country to our nation’s capital in D.C., American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) volunteers are active and engaged in our advocacy work to protect critical federal cancer research funding and access to care. Last week, volunteers from Kansas to Maryland attended a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with the Director of the NIH. They made sure their lawmakers knew that we are opposed to these proposed budget cuts. Among these volunteers was Matthew Chen. His op-ed, “What I told Sen. Moran: Cancer research cuts would cost Kansans’ lives,” was published yesterday in the Kansas City Star.
“Future cancer cures are in jeopardy because of dramatic and unprecedented proposed reductions in research funding, staff eliminations and policy shifts at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute. That’s why I traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to speak in support of strong cancer research funding, and to personally tell Sen. Jerry Moran that cuts have consequences.
I didn’t go to D.C. as a lobbyist but as a high school student, a Kansan and a young person already conducting cancer research who is deeply concerned about the future of biomedical research funding in our country. During my trip, I attended a U.S. Senate hearing featuring the NIH director, focused on the president’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. The president’s proposal includes devastating cuts to the NIH, and in particular to the NCI. These cuts are not just numbers in a budget – they have real consequences for real people…
After the hearing, I had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Moran, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Moran has always been a strong supporter of the NCI and cancer research in our state, and he will be a powerful voice and vote as the president’s budget moves through Congress. The senator was extremely approachable. He told me that he’s optimistic that final funding levels will be closer to what they are now. This gives me hope but not certainty…
As a high schooler who is already conducting cancer research through the University of Kansas Cancer Center, I’ve seen firsthand the promise of biomedical innovation. I dream of becoming an oncologist one day, so that I can contribute to medical breakthroughs and save lives. When I see budget proposals like this, however, I worry that those dreams may be harder to achieve – not just for me, but for an entire generation….
Significant budget cuts to the CDC may mean that Kansas will no longer have accurate cancer statistics and fewer people would have access to cancer screening. These cuts have consequences.”
A big thank you to Matthew and our volunteers across the country, making their voices heard!”
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