September 24, 2018 - Fresno, CA – Last Friday,
Valley Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) held a cancer summit at the Clovis Community Medical Center as part of a nationwide collaboration with Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden’s cancer fighting movement.
Researching, treating, and finding a cure for cancer have been key priorities for the Valley’s medical community. Community Medical Centers recently opened its Community Cancer Institute where medical professionals have the latest technology for cancer research, cancer treatment, and patient care that strives to keep families close to home during treatment.
Valley Children’s Hospital and the Health Sciences Research Institute at UC Merced are also leaders in cancer research and treatment, including helping patients achieve long-term remission.
“Cancer touches the lives of almost all of us, and it is imperative that we continue our strong efforts to prevent, fight, and eventually cure cancer once and for all,” said Rep. Costa. “We held this cancer summit today to bring together researchers, medical care providers, and key community leaders. We must launch a coordinated community effort to further energize and transform the fight against cancer in the Valley.”
The meeting included an overview of what cancer looks like in the Valley as well as open discussion sessions during which attendees collaborated on ways to improve access to medical care, secure resources for cancer research and improved treatment, and innovate in the collective fight against cancer.
One idea that came out of the discussion sessions was to have care providers coordinate care so appointments can be in a single location and all on one day. Jennifer Giese with the American Cancer Society shared, “The absolute largest need and barrier to care that we are seeing is transportation. The second is lodging.” Hopefully these challenges can be alleviated by medical care providers working for such coordination.
The meeting attendees also discussed ways to create a system for care providers to share their experiences and best practices for serving patients and their families.
Similar community meetings were held across the U.S. today, with the coordinated effort sparked by Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden’s call to redouble efforts to be “the country that cures cancer once and for all.”i Today’s cancer summit in Clovis culminated in a live-streamed address by Vice President Biden from Washington, D.C.
[i] Reference to President Barack Obama’s 2016 State of the Union Address, wherein he announces the U.S.’s new effort to cure cancer and that Vice President Joe Biden will lead the effort.
Source: Congressman Jim Costa
