ATLANTA — Cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers across Georgia gathered at the State Capitol Feb. 6 in a nationwide effort to advocate for healthcare and healthcare coverage reform.

Organized through the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network as part of their annual Cancer Action Day at the beginning of each February, the visit saw these Georgians meet with state senators, representatives, and staff of the governor’s office and other state agencies to request the support of policies that will increase the aid cancer patients in Georgia will be able to receive.

This year marks the first time the campaign has been organized in the state in some years, as plans were halted due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. As such, American Cancer Society volunteers and cancer survivors, caregivers, and patients were determined to advocate in full force.

Among the frontrunners of the campaign was Tifton native Lee Turner, who serves as the state lead ambassador for the Cancer Action Network.

A childhood cancer survivor himself, Turner has been a staunch supporter of the organization since the 1990s, with his efforts at the Capitol this year being focused on ensuring rural and small town communities like his hometown were able to receive the medical support they needed.

“Right now in rural Georgia, a lot of our citizens can’t afford coverage through their workplace or through a market,” Turner said. “We’re asking for the eligibility, the requirements to be a little better, so they can afford it.”

Indeed, discussed improvements requested a cut to the gap on and the expansion access to healthcare coverage, including an expansion to Medicaid, to ensure that as many Georgians as possible that are affected by cancer are able to obtain affordable healthcare and insurance to better diagnose, treat, and survive it.

“Maybe you’re a restaurant worker, maybe you’re a hairstylist,” Julie Vojtech, Cancer Action Network Georgia Government Relations Director, said. “Maybe you work for a very small business that cannot provide health insurance. Those people don’t have employer-sponsored healthcare coverage, and for some of those people, they just simply don’t make enough money to be able to afford health insurance.”

This reform was particularly targeted at helping rural Georgian communities, who currently struggle immensely with affording coverage or meeting the eligibility requirements.

Fortunately, Vojtech reported that reception to these requests was overwhelmingly positive, with state legislators on both sides expressing interest in backing the proposed expansions and adjustments.

“All the lawmakers that we spoke to, on both sides of the aisle, were very supportive of spending the healthcare initiative,” Turner said. “I’ve been going to the Capitol as a volunteer for over ten years, and over the past ten years, you always hear that word, ‘No.’ and ‘How much is this going to cost us?’ I did not hear that one time this year–I really believe the lawmakers can see that this expansion needs to happen.”

Turner and Vojtech, among other volunteers and advocates, hope that their efforts will help see state lawmakers work towards passing a bill in support of this reform within the end of next year. Volunteers of the American Cancer Society plan to be back at the Capitol the start of February next year as well to continue advocating for medical relief.

For more information on the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, visit www.fightcancer.org.