CHARLOTTE — First Lady Dr. Jill Biden stopped in Charlotte Friday afternoon to advocate for cancer patients.
[ Cancer survivors and patients urge Congress for more research funding and early detection support ]
Biden visited Atrium Health Levine Cancer to highlight the administration’s goal of expanding patient care access and making it easier to pay for.
Cancer Moonshot is an effort by Biden Administrative to cure cancer.
“I know when people hear that word cancer, that’s the last thing you hear,” the First Lady said. “You hear nothing else.”
Doctors said there are advances. Cancers once thought to be death sentences are now curable.
However, there’s a long way to go.
“We are curing cancer every day,” said Dr. Ruben Mesa, the president of the Atrium Health Levine Cancer facility. “Cancer is not one disease but many diseases and that is part of the challenge. It’s kind of a war of inches.”
The Cancer Moonshot has helped Atrium to expand its support of cancer patients and their loved ones as they navigate the life-changing diagnosis and treatment.
Mesa said that because of that expanded footprint, the biggest impact will be felt in the hospital’s regional sites, such as Albemarle and Gastonia.
The First Lady says that assistance is crucial.
“Having someone walk you through that process, every step of the way, to not only provide emotional support,” Biden said.
As part of the Cancer Moonshot, Atrium has nearly 600 active clinical trials underway, which is more than any other cancer hospital in the southeast.
This is part of the CancerX initiative, which has a goal of reducing the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years.
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