FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Lisa Berry Edwards
703-519-2107
Lisa.Edwards@preventcancer.org
WASHINGTON, December 14, 2021–The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program® last week celebrated its 30th anniversary with a reception at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., featuring a toast from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to honor this unique initiative.
The event drew a bipartisan, bicameral audience of members of Congress and their spouses, as well as leaders in the cancer prevention community, to recognize the decades of bipartisan work to educate the public about early detection and cancer prevention. The Program was founded in 1991 as a partnership between the Congressional Club, led by then-congressional spouse, now Representative Doris Matsui, and the Prevent Cancer Foundation®.
“Thirty years ago, congressional spouses sought a unifying issue and service opportunity, and cancer is one issue that knows no political party,” said Carolyn “Bo” Aldigé, president and CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. who co-founded the Program. “Today, this remains a unique program in its bipartisanship and the work being done by both congressional members and spouses to educate the public about cancer prevention and early detection.”
Highlights of the event included remarks from Congressional Families Program Executive Director Lisa McGovern, Representative Matsui and Ms. Aldigé on the history and legacy of the Program. Congressional Club President Charles Capito and Congressional Families Program Congressional Club Liaison and the 2021 Congressional Club First Lady’s Luncheon Chair Patricia Garamendi announced that First Lady’s Luncheon selected the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program as a beneficiary of the Luncheon, which will help fund a 2022 research grant. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered a toast to mark the 30-year milestone.
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About the Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program®
The Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program® began in 1991 as a partnership between the Prevent Cancer Foundation® and The Congressional Club, a bipartisan organization of spouses of Members of the House, Senate, Cabinet and Supreme Court. Spouses active in the Program share an interest in advancing cancer prevention and early detection programs and education. For more information, visit www.congressionalfamilies.org.
About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is celebrating 35 years as the only U.S. nonprofit organization focused solely on saving lives across all populations through cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated.
The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options. For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
