Vicksburg resident and six-time cancer survivor Pearl Carter is headed to Washington, D.C. to join 750 cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones from all 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico, and almost every congressional district to honor lives affected by cancer with a heartfelt display near the U.S. Capitol. She will also represent Vicksburg in a national event in D.C. this month.

Advocates like Carter will be asking for increased cancer research funding and a pathway to improved access to cancer early detection.

The event is part of the Lights of Hope Across America campaign urging Mississippi and national lawmakers to make cancer a top legislative priority. Tens of thousands of Lights of Hope bags representing the countless lives touched by cancer will serve as a powerful reminder of the critical role Congress plays in the fight against cancer, organizers said.

Carter has fought six different diagnoses of cancer. She is fundraising for Lights of Hope so that the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) may continue advocating for everyone affected by cancer, including the estimated 18,170 Mississippians who will hear the words “you have cancer” this year, she said.

“Every year, Lights of Hope sends an important message to lawmakers that their support is critical to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone,” Carter said. “I look forward to this heartfelt event to honor and remember our loved ones and their cancer fight, as well as remind Mississippi’s congressional delegation about the importance of implementing policies that ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.”

After meeting with their lawmakers, volunteers will gather at the Constitution Gardens in D.C. to honor cancer survivors and remember those lost to the disease during the annual Lights of Hope ceremony. Illuminated bags decorated with the names of those who have faced a cancer diagnosis will be displayed as a message of hope.