State Representative Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) today joined other members of the Ohio legislature in a meeting of the Cancer Caucus to raise awareness and promote engagement throughout Ohio.

“Cancer is a very serious issue, especially here in Ohio, which has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the country,” Representative Gonzales said. “This cause has bipartisan support because we all understand the importance of raising cancer awareness in Ohio.”

The Cancer Caucus was established to discuss important cancer-related issues and to garner legislative support for the statewide cancer plan. A bipartisan coalition of House and Senate members, it will likely meet monthly during months that the General Assembly is in session.

Several legislators participated in the event, which was held in the Senate Finance Hearing Room. There were three guest speakers: Archie Griffin on behalf of the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; Bev Soult, the president and CEO of Cancer Support Community Central Ohio; and Robert Indian, head of the Ohio Department of Health’s comprehensive cancer control.