Cancer survivors ask lawmakers to expand Medicaid on World Cancer Day

First introduced toward the end of last month, SB 50 would provide health care for Georgians making up to 138% of the federal poverty level.

If the bill passes, it would “ensure that a cancer patient has more time surviving, and has the time to live and spend time with their family,” Antoine-Nasser told the AJC.

The visit to the Capitol is part of the ACS CAN’s yearly Cancer Action Day, “an event that brings volunteer advocates together to call on lawmakers to pass policymaking cancer a priority,” according to a news release.

Georgia is one of 10 states that have not fully expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Two-time cancer survivor Lee Turner finds that unacceptable.

“So many of our constituents in Georgia need this coverage and it needs to be done this year and not down the road,” Turner told the AJC. “People in rural Georgia, where I live, do not have coverage.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

For those who suffer from any chronic illness, experiences with being in that coverage gap can be daunting. Pamela D. Williams, an advocate living with rheumatoid polyarthritis, says the experience changed her life.

“I went from being a full-time manager to a person that was trying to survive,” Williams told the AJC. When she resumed work after a painful season of her illness, her Social Security and Medicaid were cut for review.

“I feel like the system failed me because I had to decide between trying to get to work and staying on Social Security,” Williams said.

Williams came to the Capitol with one specific message for lawmakers.

“Don’t tie me in with my work ability and my health,” Williams told the AJC. “That’s not fair.”

For advocates who came to the Capitol from more rural areas of the state, the issue of cancer detection and treatment touches their entire community.

“We have a lot of chronic illnesses, cancer being one of them. It is one of the most rural, underserved areas of our state,” Alysia Cutting, a health equity consultant with Sowega Rising, told the AJC. “We are in essentially a health crisis.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Sowega Rising is a nonprofit that works to improve the well-being and quality of life for people living in southwest Georgia. The organization led a group of people from Albany to become advocates for their community’s unique experience with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

“Economic insecurity manifests in our health, and then, not being able to get the coverage we need with Medicaid expansion is really showing itself to be a detriment to our region,” Cutting said.

Jacquie El Torro, who came with Sowega Rising, is currently living with cancer after finishing treatment for the disease about 20 years ago. Outside of expanding access, El Torro is advocating for a health care system with less confusion and inaction. She learned of her most recent cancer diagnosis after a local pastor pushed his female congregation to get free mammograms at Walgreens.

“As a pastor, I’m constantly gathering information to take back to the people,” Dr. Donny Greene told the AJC. He came from southwest Georgia to the Capitol to help the people of his congregation, many of which are marginalized.

Pastor Grady O’Neal, also from southwest Georgia, wanted to find information and education to bring back to the young Black men in his community, saying he “wants to make people more aware.”

After losing a close cousin to prostate cancer that was detected late, O’Neal wants to “let our young Black men know that it’s very important they go get tested and go to the doctor, so we can avoid these situations.”

State Rep. Sharon Henderson came to address the group, speaking of her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer at “stage zero,” which spurred her to advocate for early detection bills before she even joined the house. She led a recognition of World Cancer Day on the house floor, surrounded by her fellow colleagues wearing pink in support.