Meeting with Courtney Sosnowski, health staffer from Rep. Bob Good’s office.
Advocates Make An Impact

VBCF is grateful to our inspiring advocates who made an impact during the National Breast Cancer Coalition’s (NBCC) annual breast cancer Lobby Day on May 3, 2022. 

Advocates asked legislators to co-sponsor the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (HB 3183/S. 1312) which would eliminate the waiting periods for Medicare (24 months) and Social Security Disability benefits (5 months) for eligible individuals living with metastatic breast cancer. As a result of our advocacy, three new Virginia Representatives signed on to co-sponsor the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act.


To bring the Metastatic bill to a vote in the US House of Representatives, a majority of Representatives (218) need to become co-sponsors. With 207 House co-sponsors as of July 6, we are only 11 co-sponsors away! 
Read This, Not That: Response to a Recent Article

Last week, the website “Eat This, Not That” shared an article on breast cancer that VBCF finds misleading and, frankly, insulting to women. Their article “8 Bad Habits Leading to Breast Cancer” sets a disappointing tone from the beginning. This title suggests that women are to blame for their breast cancer diagnosis, that their illness is their fault, and that their fate could have been avoided if they had “followed the rules.” 
Updates

Update Regarding Medical Cannabis in Virginia
Earlier this year, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law that makes it easier and less costly to get medical cannabis. As of July 1, 2022, patients or caregivers will no longer be required to register with Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy first (and pay a $50 fee) before obtaining medical cannabis. Patients are still required to receive a written certification from a practitioner registered with the Board before shopping at a Virginia dispensary. For more information go to VBCF’s webpage on medical cannabis.

Hair Care Products & Black Women
June 2022 brought us more information on the way that hair care products interact with breast cancer in Black women. According to this study, parabens (chemicals found in lots of personal care products) were found to have more of an influence on a breast cancer cell line more commonly found in Black women compared to a different breast cancer cell line more commonly found in white women. What we can understand from this is that breast cancer in Black women and white women can look different, and can react differently to the same environmental influences. This is a new take on a frequently studied question and one that warrants further research. For more information on clinical trials, please visit our page on the subject. For more information on issues of health equity in breast cancer, check out this article.
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