Five ACS CAN volunteers were invited to the White House to attend a live webcast on breast cancer. The September 27 event was part of Champions of Change, a weekly White House initiative that highlights Americans who are making an impact in their communities.  Our volunteers participated in a discussion with Administration staff about breast cancer’s impact on men and women. Read their bios and view a photo gallery from the event below.

Anne Walker Creech
Holland, Ohio

Anne is a three time cancer survivor – first diagnosed with breast cancer 29 years ago and treated with a double mastectomy; diagnosed with colorectal cancer 11 years ago and treated with extensive surgery and chemotherapy; diagnosed with a reoccurrence of breast cancer last year, and underwent surgery. When she was diagnosed last year, she received treatment through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (prior diagnoses were covered through private insurance).

She is an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and actively engages with her elected officials on issues important to cancer patients and their families.

Delia R. Oliveri
Las Vegas, NV

Delia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1983 and underwent a mastectomy. She credits early detection with saving her life and volunteered for the American Cancer Society for 12 years following her diagnosis to educate others about the importance of early detection, including serving as the only Spanish speaking volunteer in her area. In 1999 she was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, a cancer which has no cure. She is currently participating in a clinical trial in an effort to find a cure for herself and others with the same type of cancer.

She is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and actively engages with her elected officials on issues important to cancer patients and their families.

Thelma Doris (Harper) Jones
Washington, DC

Thelma is a four-year breast cancer survivor who is a relentless cancer advocate and certified breast health educator for the American Cancer Society. She also serves as a community navigator for Smith Center for Healing and the Arts where she navigates approximately 18-20 patients on a regular basis, most who are located east of the Anacostia River.

Diagnosed in June 2007 with a rare form of breast cancer (unknown primary), she underwent chemotherapy, surgery (lumpectomy), radiation and is currently undergoing hormonal therapy. A Her2+ survivor, she work effortlessly to help save lives by encouraging screening and the use of complementary therapies through her various presentations and support group which she established in April 2010.

Ellen Stephenson
Casselberry, Florida

Ellen has been living with an incurable form of breast cancer for eight years, yet she is one of the American Cancer Society’s most active and passionate volunteers. She is particularly passionate about medical and cancer research funding, since several new drugs found through research have helped extend her life longer than doctors could imagine. Despite the fact that her cancer continues to spread (presently in her my lungs, and due to the toxicity of treatment she now has advanced kidney disease as well), she is the advocate that most of our other volunteers and advocates not only ask about, but look up to. She spends her days meeting with elected officials in her home state of Florida, in-between treatment appointments.

Marguerite “Peggy” Belanger
Old Orchard Beach, ME

Peggy is a breast health nurse and the Cancer Care Program Manager at Southern Maine Medical Center, a community hospital. She has worked in Maine for her entire career screening women for breast cancer, including a large portion in underserved populations.

She educates these women, their families and their caregivers on the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer. Peggy is also an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and actively engages with her elected officials on issues important to cancer patients and their families.

Her other community involvement includes being on the Board of Directors of the Biddeford Free Clinic and serving as a member of the Kennebunk Portside Rotary. She previously served as the coordinator in York County for the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program.

Lorene Nelson, a 63-year-old breast cancer survivor and ACS CAN volunteer, traveled from her home in Georgetown, S.C. to Washington, D.C. to share her story at a White House event held Oct. 15. Lorene joined Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on a nationwide conference call about about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit breast cancer patients and survivors.

Five years ago, Lorene found a lump on her breast, but could not afford to visit the doctor for an examination. She got the screening she needed through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, a federal program that provides cancer screenings to uninsured and low-income women. With the Affordable Care Act now guaranteeing coverage of and eliminating copays for proven preventive tests such as mammograms, Lorene hopes fewer women will be denied the lifesaving care they need.

Lorene’s local paper, The Charleston Post and Courier, chronicled her journey to D.C. and her remarkable recovery story.

Lorene (in pink) sitting with another volunteer at the White House

On August 10 at 2pm, ACS CAN will be hosting a Twitter chat on our Twitter handle, @ACSCAN, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). The Twitter chat was organized to answer questions about the program from all interested Twitter users, and to call attention to the need for increased funding for this program with a history of success. Available to answer questions will be Mona Shah, associate director on the federal team and ACS CAN breast and cervical cancer policy expert, and Debbie Slaslow, director, breast & gynecologic cancer at the American Cancer Society. To join the chat or simply to follow along, follow @ACSCAN or the hashtag #earlydetection.