Florida Teen Cancer Survivor Lobbies Capitol Hill
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A 14-year-old southwest Florida cancer survivor is lobbying lawmakers on Capitol Hill to fund Medicaid and other children's programs.
Tony Colton recently joined more than 25 patients and families from across the country for the Children's Hospital Association's advocacy day. Colton spoke with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and representatives Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor and David Jolly about Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Tony has been a patient at All Children's Hospital since 2011, after being diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma of the kidney, a rare pediatric cancer.
Tony and his family urged lawmakers to fund these specialty programs. Nearly 70 percent of patients at All Children's Hospital are Medicaid recipients.
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