RSVP for Breast Cancer Recovery Advocacy Day

media release: April 23, 2025, 8:30am – 4:30pm, state Capitol, Madison

Join us on April 23 and you will have the opportunity to help pass the most impactful breast cancer legislation in our state in decades!

“Gail’s Law,” named for our late friend and colleague Gail Zeamer, will require insurers to provide cost free coverage of necessary supplemental screenings for women at high risk for developing breast cancer – including the 40% of Wisconsin women with dense breast tissue. It will also require that they provide cost free coverage of any diagnostic tests needed as a follow up to a suspicious screening.

WBCC advocates will meet at the Capitol at 8:30 in room 425 SW. In the morning, you will hear from an experienced legislative aide about how to have productive meetings with legislators and their staff. We will review our priorities for the meetings and break into small groups to prepare. Then groups will head out into the Capitol for prearranged meetings with key legislators to gain support for Gail’s Law. EACH GROUP WILL HAVE AN EXPERIENCED LEADER, so no need to worry about not having done this before! By the end of the day, you’ll feel more than comfortable – you’ll feel empowered! This event is free and lunch is provided. We generally wrap up by 4:30.

Gail Zeamer began her journey with breast cancer with a diagnosis one week after a “clear” mammogram. It turned out a tumor was hiding behind dense breast tissue. While in treatment, she engaged her state representative and together they got legislation passed that required mammography centers to notify a woman after her mammogram if she is found to have dense breasts. It informs her that additional, supplemental screening other than mammography may be appropriate. This resulted in about 40% of Wisconsin women learning more about the risks of dense breast tissue (read more here). It also resulted in those women wondering if they could afford the out of pocket costs associated with supplemental screenings.

Her next step was to get those supplemental screenings covered with no costs. This is the third session that this legislation is being introduced, and each time, bipartisan support for the bill has grown. We believe this is our year! Unfortunately, Gail died from metastatic breast cancer last summer. But we are going forward with her fight. We hope you’ll join us and get this job done!

Registration closes April 18.