BISA Joins the Komen Foundation on Capitol Hill to Advocate for Women Facing a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
According to the Komen Foundation, “an estimated 300,590 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 43,700 that will die from the disease in the U.S. this year alone.” BISA representatives Maria Gmitro and Sarah Beckcom joined the Komen Foundation on Capitol Hill. The goal was to ensure that breast cancer is a national priority and to advocate for breast cancer patients, survivors and families affected by the disease. The 2023 Advocacy Summit held in June of 2023 in Washington, DC had an incredible outpouring of support from breast cancer advocates with more than 200 meetings with Congressional offices and including a significant social media presence.
This year, the Komen Foundation was asking Congress to:
Cosponsor the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act (H.R.3851) which increases access to medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for patients.
Pass the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R.549/S.663), waiving the waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits for those living with MBC.
Preserve access to critical breast and cervical cancer safety-net services by cosponsoring the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act (H.R.3916/S.1840).
The Komen Foundation reported that cosponsors were added to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act including: Rep Young Kim (CA-30), Rep Susan Wild (PA-07), Rep Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Rep Joe Wilson (SC-02), Rep Anna Eshoo (CA-16), and Rep Greg Casar (TX-35).
BISA’s VP Sarah Beckcom of Virginia and Arkansas has been advocating with Komen Foundation for several years.
“Advocating for the Komen Foundation in person after 3 years of advocating virtually was amazing. I had the opportunity to meet with eleven members of Congress, meet 200+ amazing women and men, lobby the Hill, and impact those who cannot speak for themselves. The women and men I met will forever hold a place in my heart. The members of Congress from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Missouri that I met were so receptive and generous with their time. We will impact those who come after us and cancer of the breast will not impact our daughters the way it has impacted our generation and that is so special.”
-Sarah Beckcom, VP BISA & Komen Advocacy Ambassador
Maria Gmitro, BISA’s president, also joined as a Komen Advocacy Ambassador and met with Representative Joe Wilson (SC), Representative William Timmons (SC), Representative Nancy Mace (SC) and staffers from SenatorsTim Scott (SC) and Lindsey Graham (SC) and Representative Russell Fry.
“I became a Komen Advocacy Ambassador in January of this year because many of the women and families that we work with at BISA have been impacted by breast cancer. The 2023 Advocacy Summit was very rewarding and I met so many amazing women and advocates. I created a very special bond with the advocate team from my home state of South Carolina including Dorothy Waters, Laurie Potz, and Mrs. American Krisdee Clark. We are looking forward to more collaborative opportunities with the Komen Foundation in the future.”
-Maria Gmitro, BISA President & Komen Advocacy Ambassador
BISA is proud to join the efforts to advance the access to care for individuals facing a breast cancer diagnosis. The Komen Foundation has a comprehensive training program for advocates. BISA hopes that one day organizations like the Komen Foundation will help us get cancer of the breast recognized because there are additional cancers that impact the breast beyond what is typically thought of as breast cancer. BIA-ALCL and BIA-SCC are two types of cancers in the breast that are associated with breast implants. Women that are impacted by these cancers are also in need of timely access to testing, treatment and support. BISA also spent an additional day on Capitol Hill in June with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) to educate members of Congress on some alarming trends relating to these cancers.
How Can You Help?
1. Complete this simple form to contact your members of Congress to support the work of the 2023 Komen Advocacy Summit
2. Become a Komen Advocacy Ambassador
3. Sign up to be a Komen Advocacy Insider
Breast Implant Safety Alliance (BISA) is a nonprofit, patient-centered organization dedicated to improving breast implant safety and awareness—through direct collaboration with consumers, plastic surgeons, manufacturers, regulators, and advocates. BISA is a 100% volunteer organization and is not funded by implant manufacturers.
Contact: Maria Gmitro, President | 843.501.6873 | maria@bisanonprofit.org