Join us on Thursday, October 22 for our ACS CAN Wisconsin Virtual Forum: Access to Care During Critical Times. During this virtual event, we will explore access, affordability and community driven solutions for cancer care during COVID 19 and lessons we have learned. This discussion will include key stakeholders from the oncology community, including leaders in business, academia, public policy, patient advocacy, provider groups and community leaders.

More than 35,000 Wisconsinites will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and the decisions made at the State House or in Congress can be just as consequential for those patients as the decisions made in their doctor’s office.

Discussion Points:
Access: This event will include conversations related to the importance of accessing timely and safe cancer treatment, with a focus on health disparities, and the public policy solutions needed to protect cancer patients, survivors and healthcare workers.

Affordability: The staggering rise in unemployment has forced many Americans on state funded medical assistance programs driving a significant cost increase on the State and Federal governments. How can policymakers help maintain adequate, timely, and affordable access to care without passing the cost on to the consumer?

Preparedness: We have seen a nationwide crisis on our healthcare system. A shortage of PPE, delaying nonessential surgeries, and other barriers have put cancer patients in a critical position. How has COVID-19 impacted cancer treatment plans and prevention measures? What are the key factors for policymakers to consider to better prepare healthcare systems for future disruptions?

Research: Advancements in medical research have unleashed new and improved therapies that are revolutionizing cancer care. How has COVID-19 impacted the research being done by Wisconsin companies and institutions? What is being done to make sure the communities disproportionally impacted by cancer and COVID-19 can access research and clinical trials? What’s needed to make sure COVID-19 doesn’t permanently set back research and cancer care?

Community Driven Solutions. Racism is a public health crisis. Many in Wisconsin have been doing meaningful work to tackle structural racism in health care, reduce cancer disparities, and advance health equity. How has COVID-19 impacted communities of color? How does cancer prevention and care advance anti-racist work and support communities of color during the global pandemic?

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