Nine BHS Students Attend Cancer Advocacy Day at the State House

Juniors and Seniors from Bedford High at MA Cancer Lobby Day Back Row (l-R) Madelyn Dearing, Melissa Driscoll, Sarah Pequeno, Melanie Albrecht, Abby Brady, Katie Pinney. Front Row Aleia McWalter, Sienna Hoyland, Jackie Nunes – Courtesy image (c) 2017 all rights reserved

By Jeff “JHo” Hoyland

Bedford Relay for Life Leads at ACSCAN Lobby Day at the State House – Senior Class Lead, Jackie Nunes and Junior Class Lead, Sienna Hoyland – Courtesy image (c) 2017 all rights reserved

Nine Bedford High students joined with advocates from across the Commonwealth for Cancer Lobby Day at the MA State House. Massachusetts Cancer Action Center sponsors the one-day event every year. The Lobby Day brings together state lawmakers and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteers from across Massachusetts to push for policies that help prevent, care, and cure cancer – demonstrating how together our voices make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Members of Bedford Rely for Life have attended for several years in a row. This year’s members were Jackie Nunes (Relay for Life Senior class lead), Sienna Hoyland (Relay for Life Junior class lead), Melanie Albrecht, Abby Brady, Madelyn Dearing, Melissa Driscoll, Sarah Pequeno, Katie Pinney, and Aleia McWalter.

Bedford members met with Bedford’s state legislators State Sen. Mike Barrett and State Representative Kenneth I. Gordon to discuss ways to reduce cancer including a bill that would increase the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. Both legislators had voted for the bill in the past.