[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13617]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THE FOUNDER OF THE ``LUNG CANCER MOVEMENT''

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD M. NOLAN

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 26, 2016

  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sheila Ross, a two-
time lung cancer survivor who has devoted her entire career to public 
service and advancing better outcomes for those affected by lung 
cancer.
  I wish to pay special tribute to Sheila in light of her pending 
retirement at the end of the 114th Congress from the Lung Cancer 
Alliance, a non-profit guided by Sheila's unstoppable and indefatigable 
force to support anyone diagnosed with lung cancer. The organization 
provides patients with information and guidance and advocates for 
advanced life-saving research for the lung cancer community.
  It has been said that Sheila is the founder of the ``lung cancer 
movement,'' the first advocate ever to elevate her voice and walk the 
halls of Congress to bring attention to a public health imperative and 
to demand a more coordinated and compassionate response to the leading 
cause of cancer death.
  After her initial cancer diagnosis in 1999 and then again in 2000, 
Sheila quickly grasped that public health policy must be linked to 
science. With the sheer force of will and survivorship, Sheila set in 
motion actions that history will look back upon as seminal moments in 
the battle to end lung cancer as we know it.
  Sheila's strategic expertise developed from 20 years of legislative 
and management experience on Capitol Hill as a Chief of Staff in both 
House and the Senate offices for Democrats and Republicans.
  After her career in Congress she spearheaded the creation of Lung 
Cancer Alliance, which today stands as the highest-rated and only 
national non-profit organization devoted entirely to supporting the 
lung cancer community and elevating awareness, changing health policy 
and advancing research.
  The group has been an invaluable partner ever since my colleagues 
Frank LoBiondo, Lois Capps and I created the first-ever Lung Cancer 
Caucus. While at the Alliance, Sheila can be credited with organizing 
the first-ever bipartisan and bicameral resolutions focusing on lung 
cancer, as well as the original Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act, 
requiring the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to give increased focus 
and funding to lung cancer early detection and research.
  Additionally, Sheila worked to establish the first and only dedicated 
lung cancer research pipeline within the Department of Defense 
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, she urged the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to swiftly implement a national 
screening program, expanded access to low dose CT scanning which 
detects lung cancer early on, and monitored NCI's National Lung 
Screening Trial which concluded ahead of schedule when the trial's goal 
was achieved earlier than expected. She also worked to secure Medicare 
coverage for CT screening for seniors and the disabled and established 
the only patient-powered CT scan donation program, Give A Scan, that 
allows those impacted to contribute directly to research.
  Sheila's contributions to better the lives of those living with and 
at risk for lung cancer will forever be remembered. When the defeat of 
lung cancer finally enters the annals of history--and it will--Sheila 
Ross's fearless advocacy will be included in the early pages of that 
historical document.
  I want to thank Sheila Ross and wish her all the best in a well-
deserved retirement.

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