Marie Korenstein and Gloria Garcia traveled to the nation’s capital to join 750 volunteers Sept. 14 - 17 at the annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network conference.
They lobbied Congress for legislation that is favorable for cancer patients, caregivers and survivors; funding for research; the Medicare Early Detection Act which Garcia says is the most supported bill in Congress, and expansion of health care tax credits for access to treatment and early detection screenings.
During the conference, Lights of Hope, or paper bags bearing candles and tributes to lost loved ones and survivors, are used to raise money for the project. Last year, 80,000 lighted bags filled Centennial Park, which Korenstein called “a moving sight.”
In the photos: Attorney Gloria Garcia and retired Registered Nurse and cancer survivor Marie Korenstein, both of Miami Lakes, visited the Old Senate Chamber in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. in September. Garcia is a member of the national ambassador team and Korenstein is the lead volunteer for District 26 with the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network. Garcia’s activism is inspired by the loss of her sister Maria Garcia to breast cancer in 2009. In the second photo, Gloria Garcia and Marie Korenstein with bags readied for the Lights of Hope display. Courtesy photos.