Grateful to Serve the 2nd District

            I will continue to work hard every day to keep Americans safe, promote good-paying jobs, and help make our lives and communities stronger.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

     October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During this time, in particular, we remember those who have lost their lives to this horrific disease, as well as those who have battled and survived.

     I recognize and admire the strength of those impacted by breast cancer and am grateful for the opportunity this month brings to educate the public on the risks and treatment options.

     More women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other type of cancer, besides skin cancer, and it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in South Carolina.

Meeting with Susan G. Komen advocates from South Carolina, Maria Gmitro, Krisdee Clark, Dorothy Waters, and Laurie Potz.

     Currently, there are more than 3.8 million women living with or beyond breast cancer in the United States, per the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Cancer.Net website. In 2020, the National Cancer Institute found that an estimated 168,000 women in America live with metastatic breast cancer, breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.  

     In response to this tragic figure, legislatively I am grateful to co-sponsor the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, which would expedite access to medical insurance benefits for Americans living with metastatic breast cancer.  

     Thanks to research and innovations in medicine, today 90 out of 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer are still living five years following diagnosis, according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Through treatment with miracle drugs like docetaxel and carboplatin, the survival rates have increased significantly.

     Almost everyone knows someone who has personally been impacted by breast cancer. Just last year, my daughter-in-law Jennifer Wilson battled this disease, and my family and I are truly grateful she is a survivor.

Meeting with Jennifer Wilson to discuss her advocacy work with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. 

Mental Illness Awareness Week

     The first week of October was Mental Illness Awareness Week, a time to increase awareness surrounding mental illness and educate Americans about the importance of diagnosis and treatment.

     According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019 nearly one billion people worldwide were estimated to be living with a mental disorder. In the United States, millions of people are affected by mental illness each year. According to information provided by the National Alliance of Mental Illness, one in 20 U.S. adults experiences serious mental illness annually.

     As former Chairman of the Mid-Carolina Mental Health Association, I am grateful to co-lead the Mental Health in International Development and Humanitarian Settings bill, or MINDS Act, to help ensure that mental healthcare is available to those in need.