Dickinson State University (DSU) student Eniola Soetan, an exercise science major, represented DSU and North Dakota in Washington, D.C., last week as part of a nationwide effort to advocate for affordable health care and increased funding for cancer research.
Soetan met with Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and Rep. Julie Fedorchak to urge Congress to extend federal health care tax credits that help nearly 39,000 North Dakotans afford coverage through healthcare.gov. She said allowing the credits to expire at the end of the year would put health insurance out of reach for many families.
“As a student preparing for a career in health care, I know how important it is for people to have access to affordable coverage,” Soetan said. “I was proud to represent Dickinson State and share why these issues matter to so many North Dakotans.”
She also stressed the importance of protecting federal funding for cancer research and prevention as the budget deadline approaches. Federal investments have contributed to a 34% decline in cancer mortality rates over the past 30 years. Soetan said that proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute would jeopardize progress, even though congressional committees have rejected the reductions.
Another key priority was the bipartisan Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 842). The legislation, which recently passed the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously, would allow Medicare to cover new blood tests capable of detecting multiple cancers at once after Food and Drug Administration approval.
In addition to her advocacy meetings, Soetan participated in the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s Lights of Hope event at Constitution Gardens. Thousands of illuminated bags honored lives touched by cancer. “It was incredible to see such a powerful display on a national scale,” she said.
Soetan is also bringing that message home. DSU will host a community Lights of Hope display Oct. 14 at King Pavilion. In the days leading up to the event, she will hand out bags for community members to decorate in honor of loved ones impacted by cancer.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to advocate in Washington and even more excited to continue this work in my own community,” Soetan said. “Cancer has touched so many lives, and it means a lot to be part of something that brings people together in hope.”