Debbie's Dream Foundation's 8th Annual Stomach Cancer Capitol Hill Advocacy Day Aims to Secure Funds for Research

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) will host its 8th Annual Stomach Cancer Capitol Hill Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. on February 10-11, 2020. The annual meeting allows stomach cancer patients, their families, and caregivers an opportunity to share their personal stories with members of Congress and relay the latest statistics and facts about stomach cancer to ensure that the disease remains eligible for funding through the Department of Defense's Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP).

On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed into law the "Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020" (H.R. 1865), which funds federal agencies for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. Congress again designated stomach cancer as eligible for research funding through the PRCRP, which saw its budget increase to $110 million. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also experienced a funding increase of $2.6 billion for a total of $41.7 billion. Of this amount, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will receive $6.44 billion.

In addition, the spending bills contain the most consequential language to date for stomach cancer research and early detection. Specifically, the agreement directs the NCI to develop a scientific framework using the process outlined in the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012 for stomach and esophageal cancers and urges NCI to continue to support research with an emphasis on developing screening and early detection tools and more effective treatments for all recalcitrant cancers. NCI is directed to provide an update on NCI-supported research to advance these goals in the Fiscal Year 2021 Congressional Justification. Also, NCI is directed to add esophageal and stomach cancers to future Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization reports.

DDF's Chief Executive Officer Andrea Eidelman sees these recent developments as the direct result of the organization's advocacy efforts for the past seven years. "Thanks to the vision and implementation of our late Founder Debbie Zelman, we can proudly say that DDF's advocacy work on Capitol Hill has not gone unnoticed," said Andrea Eidelman.

This year, Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois's 16th congressional district will be presented with the Congressional Champion Award for his demonstrated commitment to reducing death and suffering from stomach cancer through his leadership in ensuring stomach cancer's continued eligibility for funding through the PRCRP and as a member of the Deadliest Cancers Congressional Caucus. DDF is also pleased to present its Volunteer of the Year Award to DDF supporter and stomach cancer survivor Denise Leprine of New York for her incredible devotion to the fight against stomach cancer.

To learn more about DDF and its advocacy efforts, visit www.DebbiesDream.org.

About Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
DDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gastric cancer, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support internationally to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF seeks as its ultimate goal to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality.

DDF was founded in 2009 by Debbie Zelman after she was diagnosed with stage IV incurable gastric cancer in 2008 and given only weeks to live. Debbie is considered a pioneer by many for bringing awareness to the plight of stomach cancer patients worldwide, as well as to the lack of federal funding for stomach cancer research. She did all of this while receiving hundreds of rounds of chemo, in addition to daily oral treatments. Debbie passed away on December 23, 2017, at the age of 50, almost a decade later. As a result of her leadership, DDF now has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of world-renowned doctors and chapters throughout the United States and in Canada and Germany. DDF strives to continue Debbie's mission and to make her dream a reality. To learn more about DDF, please visit us at www.DebbiesDream.org.

Media Contact:
Brittnay Starks
Communications Coordinator
Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
(954) 475-1200
[email protected] 
www.DebbiesDream.org

SOURCE Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer