People Living with Cancer, Caregivers Urge Congress to Expand Access to Whole-Person Supportive Cancer Care As Part of National Summit

“Being able to share that reality with policymakers and other advocates and to say, ‘this kind of support should be a right and not a privilege,’ was incredibly powerful.” Supportive Cancer Care Treats the Whole Person, Not Just the Disease, Providing Emotional, Physical, and Logistical Support for People with Cancer and Their Caregivers

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Support Is Care Summit brought people living with cancer, caregivers, and providers from across the country to Washington, D.C., to advocate for expanding access to Supportive Cancer Care.

Powered by The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, the two-day summit elevated lived experiences and urged leaders in Congress to treat Supportive Cancer Care as an essential part of high-quality cancer treatment—not an optional add-on. 

Through meetings with policymakers and social media influencers, patients and caregivers from around the country shared candid stories about the emotional, logistical, and financial realities of living with cancer, and the critical role that Supportive Cancer Care plays in helping people manage symptoms, navigate the health system, stay on track with treatment, and maintain quality of life.

The Summit’s participants included leading digital creators—many of whom are cancer patients and caregivers themselves—who are trusted voices within the cancer and health care community. Dr. Mike Varshavski, the most followed doctor on social media, joined, underscoring the importance of integrating Supportive Cancer Care into standard oncology practice. Collectively, these creators reach more than 20 million followers and used their platforms to share real-time updates, personal stories, and calls to action, extending the Summit’s impact far beyond Washington, D.C., and into communities nationwide.

Supportive Cancer Care treats the whole person, not just the disease. Supportive Cancer Care bridges clinical treatment like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation with emotional, practical, and financial support, putting patients and caregivers at the center of care while also addressing the symptoms of the disease and the side effects of treatment. Supportive Cancer Care can include services like:

Guidance on connecting to financial counseling and resources, and help with transportation to appointments;

Pain management;

Conversations about goals of care and treatment options;

Support for caregivers like family members and close friends;

Patient navigation;

Nutrition; and,

Help understanding insurance coverage, billing, and benefits.

Research shows this type of comprehensive care improves quality of life and outcomes for people living with cancer while reducing costs of care and expanding access to services.

“I am so grateful to the people living with cancer, survivors, caregivers, cancer care providers, and digital storytellers who came from around the country to our nation’s capital for our Support Is Care Summit! They are using their powerful voices to drive change and make Supportive Cancer Care the national standard of care. Supportive Cancer Care is not a nice-to-have; it is a must-have, no matter where you live or where you receive treatment. It is a bridge to clinical treatment that helps the person with cancer and their loved ones at every step of the cancer journey,” said Sheri Biller, Co-Founder and President of The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. “Too many families, caregivers, and patients still navigate the burdens of cancer without the support they need. Support Is Care will elevate patient and caregiver voices and elevate the need to make Supportive Cancer Care the national standard of care in our country.”

“Supportive Cancer Care lowers costs to our health care system through steps like preventing emergency department visits and hospital re-admissions—all while expanding access to essential services. This is why many forward-thinking employers are embracing supportive cancer care as a compassionate and cost-effective benefit for their employees and their families,” said Les Biller, Founding Director of The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. “Sheri and I are grateful to the people living with cancer, survivors, caregivers, cancer care providers, and creators who came from around the country to our nation’s capital for our Support Is Care Summit.”

The Summit included trainings, panel discussions, community‑building sessions, and conversations designed to help them translate lived experience into effective advocacy. The following day, participants headed to Capitol Hill to meet directly with policymakers and staff, sharing personal stories that illustrated both the gaps in care and the difference supportive services can make.

For participants like Suyin Cheam, a cancer survivor from St. Petersburg, Fla., who was diagnosed with Stage IIIA diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma at age 24, the experience was about making sure decision-makers understand what cancer care should look like day to day—especially as she now lives with long-term side effects and faces a second cancer diagnosis years after her initial diagnosis.

"When I was diagnosed with cancer at 24, my care focused on keeping me alive, but no one prepared me for what came afterward.  I wasn't given a survivorship plan, and guidance on long-term side effects was limited, leaving me to navigate life after treatment largely on my own,” said Suyin Cheam of St. Petersburg, Fla. “More than a decade later, I’m still managing those impacts and now facing a second cancer likely linked to that care. Many providers still don’t fully recognize or address the long-term needs of young adult survivors. Survival shouldn’t mean rebuilding your life alone. Supportive Cancer Care means going beyond treatment—ensuring patients are informed, supported, and not left to navigate survivorship on their own."

The Summit and Hill Day underscore the ongoing work of Support Is Care, a national initiative powered by The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation to raise awareness about Supportive Cancer Care and ensure people living with cancer and caregivers know it’s a part of high-quality care and feel empowered to ask for it.

For photos and updates from the Summit, as well as more information about Support Is Care, visit SupportIsCare.org.

Mark Prentice
The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation
markp@billerfamilyfoundation.org

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