 COA Patient Advocacy Network

CPAN Quarterly News Bulletin June 2025: © stock.adobe.com.


A Note from the Director of Patient Advocacy & Education

The advocacy track made a much-anticipated return to COA’s annual Conference in April. Cancer survivors, caregivers, and CPAN chapter leaders representing 17 community oncology practices nationwide gathered to learn about COA and COA’s advocacy issues and learn from each other.

The two-day advocacy track began with Get to Know Your Fellow Advocates, designed to inspire participants and remind them that everyone can be a powerful advocate. Through sharing personal stories, we were all reminded that cancer does not define a person. It was a very special session!

The advocacy track sessions—attended by advocates and general attendees over both days—included the importance of preserving community oncology and why it matters to people living with cancer before moving on to understanding policy and the fundamentals of advocacy. A session on the power of storytelling taught us how one’s story could drive change, and a session on how to effectively share your story with the media tied everything together.

COA Director of Patient Advocacy & Education

Upcoming Advocacy Opportunities: CPAN Advocacy Chats – Educational Conversations on Cancer Advocacy and Policy

9/10/2025 Equity First: Addressing Food Insecurity at the Community Level

Join the COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) on Wednesday, September 10, at 12 p.m. ET to learn how community oncology is uniquely positioned to help patients access food by partnering with local organizations and reaching those in need.

COA’s Director of Patient Advocacy and Education and Advocacy Chat host, Rose Gerber, MS, and the Director of Practice Support, Shiela Plasencia, will explore the link between food insecurity and health equity, the role that community oncology practices can play, and how your practice can connect with food banks and equity-first organizations to ensure patients are receiving the food they need to successfully fight cancer.

https://coacancer.zoom.us/webinar/register/2317522545525/WN_boHJYjkUQlewZSVRaMbwJQ#/registration

10/8/2025 Cancer Care Hijacked: How PBMs are Blocking Your Access to Medication

Join the COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) on Wednesday, October 8, at 12 p.m. ET. COA’s Director of Clinical Initiatives, Christine Pfaff, MBA, RPh, will join host Rose Gerber, MS, Director of Patient Advocacy and Education and Advocacy Chat to discuss the impact Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) has on your medical access. Visit our website to learn more: 

Health Policy 101: COA President Dr. Debra Patt Testifies Before the U.S. House of Representatives

Community oncology’s innovative cancer treatments are leading to better outcomes, but some policies are limiting patients’ access to these treatments. COA President and Executive Vice President of Texas Oncology Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, 

testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means

 on how policymakers can make innovative therapies accessible.

“Every day, as oncologists, we see patients who simply cannot afford their treatments. Our job as physicians includes advocating for our patients and doing whatever is possible to make their treatments as affordable as possible,” said Dr. Patt. “Our patients who are struggling with the affordability of cancer treatment depend on us.”

Watch Rick's Advocacy in Action Story [45 Seconds]

“Getting my medication on time and dealing with my insurance was actually harder than dealing with my cancer,” said Rick, a cancer survivor and CPAN advocate. He speaks up for independent community oncology so other people living with cancer can focus on their treatment. 

How do you support people living with cancer? 

Engaging conversations with cancer advocates, survivors, and professionals from around the country on community oncology’s most pressing topics.

 Cancer is a life-changing event. When families, friends, and providers understand an individual’s journey, they can better support people living with cancer and survivors. 

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

 Oncology nurses are integral to the cancer care team supporting people living with cancer. During National Oncology Nursing month, 

 State-level pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform has gained momentum in 2025 - most notably in Arkansas, where a new law would improve patient access to affordable treatments. COA Director of State Regulation and Policy 

state policy trends shaping patient care in 2025

What Community Oncologists Should Know About “Bellwether” for PBM Reform

Although more lawmakers in Congress are learning how PBMs affect patient care, legislative success is happening at the state level. Policy experts discussed three laws in Arkansas that could guide future PBM reform efforts during the COA 2025 Community Oncology Conference.

Women Who Survive Cancer Are More Likely Than Men to Have Fatigue and Depression

Women who survive cancer are more likely to experience cancer-related fatigue and depression than men, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting. The study found that, compared with male survivors, female cancer survivors were 69% more likely to report cancer-related fatigue and 58% more likely to report depression.

Advanced Cancers Returned To Pre-Pandemic Levels, According to a Reassuring Report

Many people living in America were forced to postpone cancer screenings for several months in 2020 as COVID-19 overwhelmed doctors and hospitals. But delays in screening have not impacted cancer death rates and late diagnoses have stayed consistent, according to a report published in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer journal.

Ensure policymakers understand how independent community oncology delivers local, high-quality cancer care. Invite policymakers with COA’s 

Articles

The recent COA annual conference featured an advocacy track for cancer survivors, caregivers, and CPAN chapter leaders, focusing on community oncology and policy understanding. Sessions emphasized storytelling's role in advocacy and media engagement. Upcoming events include virtual advocacy chats and a Capitol Hill Day follow-up. COA President Dr. Debra Patt testified before Congress on policy barriers to innovative cancer treatments. Recent CPAN advocacy chats covered cancer survivor experiences, oncology nursing roles, and state-level PBM reform. Notable news includes gender disparities in cancer-related fatigue and depression, and stable cancer diagnosis rates post-pandemic.

CPAN Quarterly News Bulletin – June 2025

Enclosed is the 2025 Quarter 1 – COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin: © stock.adobe.com.

Enclosed is the 2025 Quarter 1 – COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin.

The beginning of the year is always busy for advocates, whether we’re making our voices heard in the new Congress or engaging with state lawmakers. This work requires us to learn from each other and collaborate to remind policymakers why community oncology is essential.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Community Oncology Alliance’s annual conference in sunny Orlando, April 29-30, where the patient advocacy program track is returning. Participants will learn how to engage with federal and state elected officials, harness the power of storytelling, work with traditional and social media, and understand COA’s policy and advocacy priorities. I’m already hearing of palpable energy surrounding how we can raise the collective voice of community oncology.

Engage with Fellow Advocates and Policymakers to Strengthen Community Oncology

April 9: Virtual Advocacy Chat: State Policy Trends Shaping Patient Care in 2025 (featuring James Lee, COA director of state regulation and policy)

April 29-30: In-Person Event: Community Oncology Conference (Orlando, FL)

May 14: Virtual Advocacy Chat: National Oncology Nursing Month

June 11: In-Person Event: Patient Hill Day (Washington, D.C.)*

June 18: Virtual Advocacy Chat: Cancer Survivorship (featuring Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship’s chief executive officer)

July 23: Virtual Advocacy Chat: Sit In My Chair*

Reach out to your local CPAN Chapter Advocacy Leader or to Rose Gerber, roseg@coacancer.org, to learn how to get involved.

Health Policy 101: What Ails the Health Care System, and How Is Community Oncology Affected?

The United States’ health care system is at a critical tipping point. An increase in mergers, acquisitions, and physicians employed by hospitals—a trend known as consolidation—creates a system where some mega hospitals and health systems dominate the market. Community-based practices close because of consolidation, leaving patients with higher treatment costs, longer wait times, and further travel distances. Mega health systems profit while patients, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, suffer the consequences of fewer independent oncology practices.

COA is advocating for Congress to fix these systemic issues so that patients can access local, affordable cancer care. 

Watch Ted Okon, executive director of COA, to learn more.

Watch Tonsa’s Advocacy in Action Story [60 Seconds]

Tonsa, a cancer survivor and CPAN chapter advocate for Cancer & Blood Specialists of Arizona, advocates for independent community oncology with her passion to help others and commitment to delivering positive change for patients. Watch Tonsa share why she advocates to make sure community oncology’s voice is heard in the latest 

 Maintaining healthy eating habits and personalized diets are essential for people living with cancer and survivors to manage their condition. April Rozzo, MS, RD, CSO, LD/N, clinical nutrition manager at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute joined Rose Gerber, to 

discuss helpful tips on nutrition planning

 Personal stories are a powerful way for patients, survivors, and caregivers to share experiences with policymakers. Rose Gerber and Caitlin Kubler, senior director of policy and advocacy at the Prevent Cancer Foundation, 

shared how their own cancer experiences affect their approach

 With a new Congress, a new administration, and new health care policy priorities, what can advocates expect in the legislative year ahead? COA Executive Director, Ted Okon and Managing Director, Nick Ferreyros joined Rose Gerber for a 

look into the crystal ball on all things cancer policy in 2025

Stream recent Advocacy Chats on @OncologyCOA’s YouTube channel.

Top-Rated Diet Lowers Cancer Risk in a Surprising Way, New Study Finds

Meals from the Mediterranean have been shown to reduce the risk of developing prostate, cervical, and colorectal cancer, while also decreasing the risk of women dying from any cancer by 17%, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open. The Mediterranean diet features simple, plant-based cooking, with much of each meal focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and seeds, with a few nuts and a heavy emphasis on extra-virgin olive oil.

The Race To Explain Why More Young Adults Are Getting Cancer

Scientists are racing to answer why cancer, historically a disease of old age, is increasingly striking people in the prime of their lives. Globally, diagnoses and deaths related to early-onset cancer, affecting patients younger than 50, rose by 79% and 28%, respectively, from 1990 to 2019, according to a recent study published in BMJ Oncology.

Young Women Are Almost Twice as Likely to be Diagnosed With Cancer as Young Men: ‘We’re Seeing A Change’

Cancer diagnoses are shifting from older to younger adults and from men to women, according to a report released by the American Cancer Society. Breast and thyroid cancers, which account for nearly half of all cancer diagnoses in women younger than 50, are driving the trend.

COA is working with practices and policymakers to protect patient access to local, high-quality care. Check out the 

, a blueprint to addressing the health care system’s greatest challenges.

The COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin highlights the importance of community oncology advocacy, emphasizing collaboration with policymakers and the impact of healthcare consolidation on patient access. Upcoming events include virtual and in-person advocacy opportunities, such as the Community Oncology Conference and Patient Hill Day. The bulletin also discusses recent advocacy chats on nutrition and storytelling in cancer care, and shares news on the Mediterranean diet's cancer risk reduction and the rise of early-onset cancer. COA continues to advocate for healthcare reform to ensure accessible, affordable cancer care.

COA Patient Advocacy Network

CPAN Quarterly News Bulletin – June 2025

2025 Quarter 1 – COA Patient Advocacy Network News Bulletin.

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