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Nominations Open for Cancer Research Ally Award, Hill Day Scholarships
Nominations are being accepted for the annual Cancer Research Ally Award, which will be presented before the 2024 AACI/AACR Hill Day. This award recognizes two members of Congress (one Democrat and one Republican) for their support of and advocacy for cancer research. This year’s award will be presented at a Hill Day reception on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, May 15.
Cancer Research Ally Award recipients and Hill Day speakers offer unique perspectives on the value of funding for the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute, while promoting the important work at AACI cancer centers. Past recipients have included Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL); Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO); and Representatives Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), and Fred Upton (R-MI).
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 15. To submit a nomination or for more information, please contact AACI Senior Government Relations Manager Jaren Love.
Hill Day Patient Scholarships
This year AACI will be offering scholarships of up to $1,000 to enable patient advocates to attend Hill Day and share their perspectives during congressional meetings.
To be eligible for a scholarship, the nominee should be a well-known patient advocate who has a relationship with an AACI member cancer center or AACR. The recipient can be a patient, former patient, friend, or family member of a patient, enrolled in a clinical trial or receiving standard treatment.
Nominations are due Friday, April 5. Up to five scholarship recipients will be selected and the cancer center representative submitting the application will be notified of their nominee’s status by Friday, April 26.
A representative of the cancer center submitting the nomination is encouraged to accompany the patient advocate on all Hill Day visits. The scholarship recipient or cancer center sponsoring the participant will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $1,000 following their travel to Washington, DC, after submitting itemized receipts per AACI’s travel policy. Special consideration will be made for qualified nominees with basic expenses exceeding $1,000.
If your nominee is selected, they will be required to register for Hill Day.
Please note: AACI reserves the right to rescind the award if the recipient cancels their Hill Day travel and/or meetings less than one week before the event (Thursday, May 9).