was among the small group of attendees , which included colleagues from cancer centers and members of Congress .
" To be present for this announcement was very exciting ," says Nassi , who believes her policy work in Washington is likely what garnered an invitation . Though the White House event was her first COVID-era visit to the city , she has continued to meet — virtually — with Washington policymakers during the pandemic .
" I ’ m currently working on three initiatives with the National Academies , making sure the voice of the American Indian and rural and frontier populations are included ," she says .
Through her work with the American Indian Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute , she advocates for the cancer needs of tribal members in the Mountain West . This demographic group experiences cancer disparities , the occurrence of worse health outcomes due to economic , social , cultural , environmental , and geographic disadvantages . Part of the Cancer Moonshot is aimed at addressing disparities .
" We know cancer as a disease for which there are stark inequities in access to cancer screening , diagnostics , and treatment across race , gender , region , and resources ," says a White House statement about the Moonshot . " We can ensure that every community in America — rural , urban , Tribal , and everywhere else — has access to cutting-edge cancer diagnostics , therapeutics , and clinical trials ."
Much of Nassi ’ s work addresses these issues . She travels to tribal nations to provide education about cancer risk and prevention , with the goal of helping reduce cancer incidence in these populations through preventable measures . She supports patients both while they receive treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute and after they return home , helping them access follow-up care and basic necessities .
" We help make sure they ’ re getting food and other supplies ," she says . " We work with their providers back home , help them with housing and gas . We had one patient who enrolled in a clinical trial and needed to live [ near Huntsman Cancer Institute ] for a while , so we made sure she had the resources to stay . We just touch base with everyone and let them know we ’ re here ."
Nassi hopes to work on Cancer Moonshot disparities initiatives with colleagues she met at the White House . The event inspired a spirit of collaboration , she says .
Phyllis Pettit Nassi , MSW
" It was wonderful to see the commitment to the project and to serving people with cancer ."