Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. and Kathleen Sebelius to Discuss Screening

Colorectal Cancer Alliance CEO Michael Sapienza will discuss the importance of colorectal cancer screening with Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. and Kathleen Sebelius, former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, on March 11 in Washington, D.C.

Payne, Jr. is the sponsor of the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (H.R. 1570), which was passed by the House of Representatives on February 28. This legislation would cover the cost for Medicare recipients if polyps—abnormal tissue growths that can develop into colorectal cancer—are removed during colonoscopies, a standard colorectal cancer screening test. Today, some patients receive a costly charge for the removal of polyps.

Sebelius served in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet and was instrumental in passing and implementing the Affordable Care Act. In March of 2019, Sebelius was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Exact Sciences Corporation, a molecular diagnostics company that produces Cologuard, an at-home colorectal cancer screening test. Cologuard tests stool for abnormal DNA and blood that can indicate polyps or a tumor. 

“The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is proud to host these distinguished public servants for a critical discussion on the importance of life-saving colorectal cancer screenings,” Sapienza said. “March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. By talking about this disease, we’re eliminating the stigma attached to it and saving lives. Their service is timely, compassionate, and—above all—urgently needed, as colorectal cancer needlessly takes the lives of more than 50,000 Americans every year.”    

Colorectal cancer is highly preventable with routine screening. When caught in its earliest stages through screening, it’s also very treatable. An estimated 147,950 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society, and 53,200 could die.

The discussion is set to take place at the offices of law firm K&L Gates, 1601 K Street N.W.,  at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public. 

To learn more about colorectal cancer screening, please visit the Alliance’s website GetScreened.Org.

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; eagerly raise awareness of preventive screening; and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. Learn more at www.colorectalcancer.org.