Area woman fights for cancer survivors, including herself, at state level
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) — Tuesday was Cancer Action Day, and about 100 cancer patients and advocates from across the Buckeye State gathered at the Statehouse in Columbus, including a Brookfield woman.
Jill McFarland was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 10 years ago, and while fighting her own cancer battle, she lost her mother to lung cancer caused by tobacco use.
The goal of Tuesday's visit was to urge lawmakers to support Governor Mike DeWine's proposed tobacco tax increases and budget funding for programs that prevent and reduce tobacco use and improve access to breast and cervical cancer screenings.
'If we could do the parity tax and the $1.50 per cigarette pack tax, it would prevent young people, maybe older generations, from bouncing from one thing that's too expensive to another tobacco product that's less expensive,' McFarland said. 'If we can catch the young people early, then we can avoid a lot of these, you know, these cases of cancer.'
They also asked lawmakers to improve access to cancer care by supporting biomarker and prostate cancer legislation.
'It's not just for cancer patients where bio specimen is analyzed to determine what would be the most effective treatment at that time,' McFarland said. 'And for me, I think that would have been extremely helpful.'
McFarland's cancer is metastatic. It has spread throughout her body, including the brain. She is scheduled to have an MRI on her brain soon, but in the meantime, is grateful she is experiencing her daughter Isabella's senior year. Isabella was also a spokesperson for the event with her mother.
Ohio's next state budget has not yet been finalized, and the Senate must send a final version to the Governor's desk by June 30.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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