Miss America makes push for pancreatic cancer research on Capitol Hill

Miss America 2024 winner Madison Marsh took her efforts to advocate for pancreatic cancer awareness and research to Capitol Hill on Thursday.

In association with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), Marsh met with eight representatives on the Hill to push for increased funding for pancreatic cancer research within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and research programs within the Department of Defense.

Marsh and Julie Fleshman, president and CEO of PanCAN, met with a variety of legislators from both chambers, including members from the House and Senate Appropriations committees, the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Health Committee

“Life is too short,” Marsh told The Hill. “I want to make sure that everyone, to the fullest extent possible, has all of the resources to equip them to survive a disease like pancreatic cancer.”

The pair also met with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Marsh’s mother passed away from the disease in 2018 when she was just 41 years old. As part of her mission on Capitol Hill, Marsh hoped to share her story and those of others affected by pancreatic cancer.

Fleshman and Marsh advocated for an increase to $51.3 billion in NIH funding as well as for NCI funding to rise to $7.93 billion and the Department of Defense sector to boost its general cancer research to $25 million, with a specific allocation for research focused on pancreatic cancer.

“We are educating members of Congress about pancreatic cancer, about the risk factors, the symptoms, the fact that there is no early detection test, the fact that there aren't enough treatment options," Fleshman said. “The way we solve for the all of those things is by increasing research funding for for the disease.”

Pancreatic cancer is currently one of the most difficult cancers to treat, sitting at a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent.

Still, Fleshman noted there is a lot of “momentum” in the pancreatic research field. In 1999, the survival rate for the disease was just 4 percent when there was minimal federal and philanthropic investment in pancreatic cancer research, she said.

Marsh and Fleshman met with representatives with a “personal connection to the disease,” including Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.). Other lawmakers the pair met with include Reps. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

“We can't make more change if we're not putting in the time and the real work," Marsh said. “It starts with people right here in D.C.”

Updated at 6:40 p.m. EST