ACS CAN Praises Senate on Passage of Palliative Care Bill

TRENTON, NJ – June 21, 2019 – The New Jersey Senate has passed a bill (S.2682) that would establish a state advisory council on palliative care and quality of life, a palliative care consumer and professional information and education program and a palliative care access initiative to make information about accessing palliative care in New Jersey more readily available. The Assembly had previously passed the bill (A-312). The ultimate goal is to establish a system for identifying patients who could benefit from palliative care and to provide information about palliative care services for patients suffering from a serious illness.

Palliative care can provide better quality of life for cancer patients and those with other chronic diseases and their families by focusing on relieving the pain, stress, and other symptoms associated with cancer or other disease and its treatment.

Samantha DeAlmeida, New Jersey government relations director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network released the following statement:

“Once enacted this legislation will help those with cancer and their caregivers better address their cancer treatments. On behalf of the more than 53,000 estimated New Jerseyans who this year will hear the words ‘you have cancer,’ I applaud the Senate for passing this crucial palliative care bill.

“Palliative care gives the patients more control and helps address some of the pain, fear and anxiety that many patients feel after diagnosis and during treatment and recovery. It treats the whole person and not only the cancer.

“Palliative care works to improve the lives of cancer patients by making coordination of their care standard protocol during their treatment for cancer and is provided by a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care can actually lead to a longer, more satisfying life for cancer patients and those with other major health conditions.

“I thank Senator Joseph Vitale for sponsoring this measure and the entire body for its passage. ACS CAN looks forward to Governor Murphy enacting this important legislation.”

About ACS CAN
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.