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Nancy Gardner Sewell was the first Black woman elected to the Selma City Council. She dedicated her life to championing equitable access to health care for Alabamians and continued that fight until she lost her battle to late-stage pancreatic cancer in 2021. Her legacy, though, lives on through her daughter, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, who is leading efforts in Congress to combat the disease with the reintroduction of the Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. This legislation would establish Medicare coverage for new blood tests capable of detecting cancer at early stages.
Congress has made tremendous progress on Representative Sewell’s bill — passing it unanimously through committee, generating support from hundreds of cosponsors across the political spectrum, and carrying support from more than 500 advocacy organizations nationwide. Among those showing support is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who lost his mother to colon cancer in 2013. Needless to say, the bill is ready to go. This legislation has the potential to transform lives throughout the country and certainly in Alabama, where the burden of cancer is alarmingly high – particularly in rural and underserved areas – and exceeds the national average.
As a Selma native who devoted my professional life to improving cancer outcomes and reducing cancer disparities in rural and underserved communities in Alabama, I am keenly aware of the need for better access to cancer screenings and better options for treatment.
Multi-cancer early detection tests use a simple blood draw to detect the presence and location of dozens of cancers before symptoms appear, an improvement over a status quo in which only five types of cancer have recommended screening capabilities. These groundbreaking technologies enable earlier diagnoses, paving the way for more effective, less invasive, and more affordable treatment options. Countless Americans who would otherwise be facing late-stage diagnoses and the likelihood of a shorter lifespan could have access to a better quality and longer life.
As Representative Sewell’s forward-thinking approach offers the potential to reshape healthcare, it is essential that policy evolve with science in order to ensure inclusivity and prevent some Americans from being left behind. Communities in Selma and across Alabama deserve their access to be prioritized.
Medicare covers the majority of Americans diagnosed with cancer. About 58 percent of cancer patients are 65 or older, and this number is growing. It is essential they have access to these cancer detecting blood tests.
Early detection improves survival rates for many cancers, often to at least 90 percent, offering patients a better chance at recovery. It also enhances their quality of life along the way. Anyone who has supported a loved one through the cancer journey understands the profound importance of this all too well.
When Nancy Gardner Sewell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, no screening existed to catch it early and improve the odds.
By prioritizing access to MCED tests in 2025, Congress can deliver tangible and much-needed benefits to Alabama families and cancer patients and their loved ones across the country. That will be the ultimate tribute to Nancy Gardner Sewell’s legacy, led proudly by Rep. Sewell and her colleagues in Congress who named the legislation for Nancy Gardner Sewell. Pass this bill now.
Claudia Hardy recently retired after 32 years at UAB’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she led community outreach and engagement efforts, managed minority health programs and developed an extensive network of community health advisors in rural communities across Alabama.
