Colon Cancer Alliance

Advocacy Event on Capitol Hill

The CCA led a coalition of 27 patient advocacy organizations and joined over 100 patients representing all major diseases in urging policymakers to enhance early diagnosis of deadly diseases by preserving access to advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT Scans, in final health care reform legislation this past October.

Brian MacLeod, a stage IV colon cancer survivor, traveled all the way from Washington state with his son Clinton to support the cause. "I live in a small, rural town at the end of Washington state," explained MacLeod, who was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the event.
MacLeod has been with the CCA for six years after first being introduced to the organization by his son Clinton, who was 13 at the time and had searched the internet hoping to find help for his father's illness. His young son e-mailed the CCA asking for help to get his father to a CCA-hosted Conversation about Colorectal Cancer Seminar in New York. MacLeod has since served as a CCA buddy when not taking care of his four children.

"I found it very inspiring that we can go and have our voices heard -- just average people able to talk to their representatives -- it looks like it's making a difference," remarked MacLeod.

MacLeod was first diagnosed in June 2003; he had a colorectal tumor and promptly underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. He continued his follow-up care with his oncologist and two years later, a tumor was found in the left lobe of his liver; he had the left lobe surgically removed.

Recently, MacLeod said that his blood work barely showed an increase in his tumor marker, but a CT scan showed a two centimeter tumor. He is currently in a "wait and see" period before he begins another round of chemo. "CAT Scans are life and death for me -- my CA [blood test] doesn't go up -- I need to have a CAT Scan to see if there is any cancer in me," he explained.

MacLeod was one of hundreds of rally participants voicing their grave concern about the "triple threat" facing life-saving medical imaging services: drastic Medicare reimbursement cuts included in health care reform legislation, arbitrary changes to the 2010 Physician Fee Schedule and billions of dollars in excise taxes on imaging equipment. These changes would inhibit patients' access to the early disease detection provided by diagnostic imaging.

Still, MacLeod was hopeful for the future. "Being diagnosed with cancer isn't a death sentence. Yes, there is life after cancer," said MacLeod. He continued, "[I discovered] that a bunch of cancer survivors can make a difference -- even though they have been very ill -- we are still capable of doing things." He concluded, "stage IV isn't as scary as it used to be." Get involved and learn more with the CCA.

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