[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      A TRIBUTE TO ONCOLOGY NURSES, CAREGIVERS FOR CANCER PATIENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 24, 2002

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the 
attention of my colleagues the important and essential role that 
oncology nurses play in the care of patients diagnosed with cancer. I 
know first hand the powerful positive impact that oncology nurses have 
on the provision of quality cancer care and know that cancer patients 
would be lost without their expertise, care, love, and dedication. As 
anyone ever treated for cancer will tell you, oncology nurses are 
intelligent, well-trained, highly skilled, kind-hearted angels who 
provide quality clinical, psychosocial, and supportive care to patients 
and their families. In short, they are integral to our Nation's cancer 
care delivery system.
  Cancer is a complex, multifaceted, and chronic disease, and people 
with cancer are best served by a multidisciplinary health care team 
specialized in oncology care, including nurses who are certified in 
that specialty. This year alone 1,284,900 Americans will hear the words 
``You have cancer.'' In addition, 555,500 will lose their battle with 
this terrible disease. Everyday, oncology nurses see the pain and 
suffering caused by cancer and understand the physical, emotional, and 
financial challenges that people with cancer face throughout their 
diagnosis and treatment. Oncology nurses play a central role in the 
provision of quality cancer care as they are principally involved in 
the administration and monitoring of chemotherapy and the associated 
side-effects patients may experience.
  The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is the largest organization of 
oncology health professionals in the world with more than 30,000 
registered nurses and other health care professionals. Since 1975, the 
Oncology Nursing Society has been dedicated to excellence in patient 
care, teaching, research, administration and education in the field of 
oncology. The Society's mission is to promote excellence in oncology 
nursing and quality cancer care. To that end, ONS honors and maintains 
nursing's historical and essential commitment to advocacy for the 
public good by providing nurses and healthcare professionals with 
access to the highest quality educational programs, cancer-care 
resources, research opportunities, and networks for peer support.
  The ONS has 8 chapters in the great state of Ohio. These chapters 
located in the Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Saint Paris, 
Zanesville, Lima, and Cuyahoga Falls areas serve the oncology nurses in 
the state and helps them to continue to provide high quality cancer 
care to those patients and their families in the state.
  In particular, I would like to acknowledge three special oncology 
nurses from my district who will be in Washington this week to 
participate in the ONS Annual Congress and the ONS inaugural Hill Day--
Deborah Babb and Luana Lamkin from Hilliard, Ohio and their colleague 
Betty Coffelt from Worthington, Ohio. I am looking forward to the 
pleasure of meeting with these outstanding women who have dedicated 
their lives to improving the health and well-being of people affected 
by cancer.
  On behalf of all the people with cancer and their families in Ohio's 
15th Congressional District, I thank Deborah, Luana, and Betty as well 
as all of their colleagues in the Oncology Nursing Society for their 
outstanding contributions to the provision of quality cancer care to 
those in need. Also, I would like to acknowledge Luana Lamkin for her 
leadership within the Oncology Nursing Society as she currently serves 
on the ONS Board of Directors as the Treasurer. I have had the pleasure 
of working with ONS and Luana over the past few years to advance 
programs and policies that work to reduce suffering from cancer. 
Through Luana's and ONS' leadership, our Nation is charting a course 
that will help us win the war on cancer.
  As part of the ONS inaugural Hill Day, approximately 550 oncology 
nurses--representing 48 states--will come to Capitol Hill to discuss 
issues of great significance to people with cancer and the field of 
oncology nursing. Specifically, these oncology nurses will call upon us 
in Congress to move quickly to reconcile the differences between the 
House and Senate versions of the ``Nurse Reinvestment Act'' and send a 
comprehensive measure to the President for signature by June 1st so 
that the measure can be funded fully in FY 2003; reform Medicare to 
ensure that the program reimburses adequately and accurately for the 
full-range of services provided by oncology nurses so that Medicare 
payment policy reflects the real value of oncology nursing and in turn, 
helps sustain our Nation's system of community-based cancer care for 
all Medicare beneficiaries; and allocate $27.3 billion to the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH) to fulfill the commitment to double the NIH 
budget over five years, $5.69 billion to the National Cancer Institute 
(NCI)--the amount the NCI Director deems necessary to take advantage of 
extraordinary opportunities, $199.6 million for the NIH National Center 
for Minority Health and Health Disparities--the course necessary to 
double the Center's budget over the course of three years, and $348 
million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
Comprehensive Cancer Control, National Cancer Registries, Prostate 
Cancer Awareness, National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection, 
Ovarian Cancer, Skin Cancer, and Colorectal Cancer Screening, Education 
and Outreach programs--to ensure that all Americans benefit from 
breakthroughs in cancer research, prevention, early detection, and 
treatment.
  I commend the Oncology Nursing Society for all of its efforts and 
leadership over the last 27 years and thank the Society and its members 
for their ongoing commitment to improving and assuring access to 
quality cancer care for all cancer patients and their families. I urge 
all of my colleagues to support them in their important endeavors.

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