Step up fight versus cancer
Research shows that we could prevent roughly half of all cancer deaths in Louisiana if everyone were to stop using tobacco products, get cancer screenings, eat well, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.
Lawmakers play a crucial role in the fight against cancer by passing laws that help reduce the toll of the disease — which will claim an estimated 9,040 lives in Louisiana this year alone.
Louisiana is falling short on legislative efforts to combat cancer, according to a recent report by American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network that evaluates each state's legislative activity on issues such as access to care, cancer prevention and tobacco control. Louisiana only measured up in one of 12 critical benchmarks measured in the report.
To improve the state's efforts to prevent and fight the devastating effects of cancer, Louisiana lawmakers need to increase state funding for breast and cervical cancer screening programs for uninsured and underinsured women in Louisiana.
State policymakers must take action. We cannot miss opportunities to enact policies that could save money and, most importantly, save lives.
Editor's Note: Tolar is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network.