Association of Community Cancer Centers and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to Honor Four Leading Oncology Professionals Active in Grassroots Advocacy

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC), in conjunction with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), will be honoring four cancer care professionals for their dedicated and ongoing efforts to improve access to care in their states through grassroots advocacy efforts. The inaugural Grassroots Champion for Patient Access Award will be presented to Matt Sherer, MBA, MHA, from the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center in Tallahassee, FL; Seija Olivier, RN, from Allegiance Health in Jackson, MI; and James Thomas, MD, PhD, and Parameswaran Hari, MD, MRCP, MS, from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI, on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, during the ACCC 40th Annual National Meeting in Arlington, Va.

All four award recipients have been active on the state level in efforts to pass oral parity legislation. This legislation is critical to ensure that cancer patients do not have to pay higher out of pocket expenses for oral anti-cancer medications than for IV treatment options.

In Florida, oral parity legislation has already been enacted. Mr. Sherer and others helped to advocate for this legislation by testifying before members of the State House in Tallahassee.

"I had valuable information about patients on oral regimens that was important to share as the oral parity bill was considered in committee. Legislators must rely on data and perspectives from constituents in the field, particularly when considering complex issues like this," said Matt Sherer, MBA, MHA.

Ms. Olivier, Dr. Thomas, and Dr. Hari have been active in giving testimony in support of oral parity legislation in their respective states of Michigan and Wisconsin, where oral parity legislation is still under consideration. To date, 29 states and the District of Columbia have passed oral parity legislation.

The Grassroots Champion for Patient Access Award is an annual award that will be given to individuals from the cancer care community who have been active on the state and federal level advocating for better access to cancer therapies.

This year’s Grassroots Champion for Patient Access Award winners will also be participating in a panel session at the ACCC Annual National Meeting.