David Wright on Advocating for Colon Cancer Screening Initiatives
David Wright, 60, is the owner of Wright Directions, LLC, a strategic consulting and communications business specializing in energy and energy-related issues.
From March 3, 2004 until he retired from state government on June 1, 2013, David served on the South Carolina Public Service Commission as the legislatively elected Commissioner from South Carolina’s Second Congressional District. In July 2012, he was sworn in as Chairman of the S.C. Public Service Commission. The SCPSC regulates private and investor-owned utilities in the Palmetto State, as well as moving companies, taxicabs and limousines.
A colon cancer survivor, David is active as an advocate for cancer awareness and education and is frequently asked to share his message with groups around the country. David is also a member of the Leadership Council for the Cancer Centers at the University of South Carolina (CCUSC).
WHY Colorectal Cancer is Important
I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer after my very first colonoscopy at age 52 in early January 2008. It was part of an annual physical I was going through. I had no symptoms, and no family history, either.
A little of a year later, my oldest daughter, Kimberly, who was 27-years-old at the time, was diagnosed with Stage 3-c colon cancer. Because of her age and sex, and because doctors didn’t normally see colon cancer in 27-year-olds, the road to the discovery of her colon cancer was difficult…but we got there.
During the process of our surgeries and treatments we became aware of several people who were being treated for late stage colon cancer – and they did not have insurance. From that, we discovered that there is a large population of uninsured and under-insured high-risk persons, so we decided to see what we could do to have a positive impact on that problem.
What Exactly Did You Do for Policy in South Carolina to Advance Colorectal and Patient Navigation?
Before being appointed as a utility regulator in SC, I was a publicly elected official for many years, serving as a councilman, Mayor, and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Just after my colon cancer diagnosis and surgery, I wrote an op-ed to out local paper about the journey I was on. It was very well received and had an impact in the community. Long story short, I ended up meeting Dr. Frank Berger at the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina. In 2011, I approached him about taking a different direction on their efforts at the legislatively funded SCOPE program in SC because in was not being funded on a regular basis. On top of that, 20 percent of any monies directed to the program were being taken off the top for administrative costs by the agency housing the program.
My idea was to get regular funding, if not recurring funding, from the SC General Assembly to expand the Colon Cancer Prevention Network that was housed within the CCCR at USC. It is a novel program that targets the at-risk populations in our state and utilizes gastroenterologists who volunteer their time at free clinics to provide colonoscopies to this targeted group.
We asked for the State of SC to enter into a public-private partnership with us and let us prove ourselves by budgeting $500,000 for the SC Colon Cancer Prevention Network in 2012, which would be used 100 percent for colonoscopies, and would be matched by funds from fundraising, grants and other sources (i.e.. Blue Cross-Blue Shield and other companies).
The program has been extremely effective and very efficient, which has resulted in us being funded in each budget since.
What were the partnerships you developed or had in place to advance policy?
We could not have been successful without many partnerships and associations. First, there was my connection to my peers in the legislature as a survivor. Next, there was my knowledge of what the state had already tried to do. Then, there are the people working cancer issues at the legislature already. You have to make them aware of your goal and let them know that you are willing to help them, and not take away from the monies they are seeking or have secured in the past.
There is also a lot of education that needs to take place with the staffers, as well as the legislators.
What would you tell people who are interested in perhaps driving policy for people for access to colorectal screening, like patient navigation?
Nothing sells better than a person who is passionate about what they want and they can explain the importance of the need. Knowing and being able to explain the back-end savings will help, too. We decided to start small so we could show results, and then grow the program. The key to any successful program and growth of a program will be the success you can demonstrate and quantify.
David Wright, 60, is the owner of Wright Directions, LLC, a strategic consulting and communications business specializing in energy and energy-related issues.
From March 3, 2004 until he retired from state government on June 1, 2013, David served on the South Carolina Public Service Commission as the legislatively elected Commissioner from South Carolina’s Second Congressional District. In July 2012, he was sworn in as Chairman of the S.C. Public Service Commission. The SCPSC regulates private and investor-owned utilities in the Palmetto State, as well as moving companies, taxicabs and limousines.
A colon cancer survivor, David is active as an advocate for cancer awareness and education and is frequently asked to share his message with groups around the country. David is also a member of the Leadership Council for the Cancer Centers at the University of South Carolina (CCUSC).
WHY Colorectal Cancer is Important
I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer after my very first colonoscopy at age 52 in early January 2008. It was part of an annual physical I was going through. I had no symptoms, and no family history, either.
A little of a year later, my oldest daughter, Kimberly, who was 27-years-old at the time, was diagnosed with Stage 3-c colon cancer. Because of her age and sex, and because doctors didn’t normally see colon cancer in 27-year-olds, the road to the discovery of her colon cancer was difficult…but we got there.
During the process of our surgeries and treatments we became aware of several people who were being treated for late stage colon cancer – and they did not have insurance. From that, we discovered that there is a large population of uninsured and under-insured high-risk persons, so we decided to see what we could do to have a positive impact on that problem.
What Exactly Did You Do for Policy in South Carolina to Advance Colorectal and Patient Navigation?
Before being appointed as a utility regulator in SC, I was a publicly elected official for many years, serving as a councilman, Mayor, and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Just after my colon cancer diagnosis and surgery, I wrote an op-ed to out local paper about the journey I was on. It was very well received and had an impact in the community. Long story short, I ended up meeting Dr. Frank Berger at the Center for Colon Cancer Research at the University of South Carolina. In 2011, I approached him about taking a different direction on their efforts at the legislatively funded SCOPE program in SC because in was not being funded on a regular basis. On top of that, 20 percent of any monies directed to the program were being taken off the top for administrative costs by the agency housing the program.
My idea was to get regular funding, if not recurring funding, from the SC General Assembly to expand the Colon Cancer Prevention Network that was housed within the CCCR at USC. It is a novel program that targets the at-risk populations in our state and utilizes gastroenterologists who volunteer their time at free clinics to provide colonoscopies to this targeted group.
We asked for the State of SC to enter into a public-private partnership with us and let us prove ourselves by budgeting $500,000 for the SC Colon Cancer Prevention Network in 2012, which would be used 100 percent for colonoscopies, and would be matched by funds from fundraising, grants and other sources (i.e.. Blue Cross-Blue Shield and other companies).
The program has been extremely effective and very efficient, which has resulted in us being funded in each budget since.
What were the partnerships you developed or had in place to advance policy?
We could not have been successful without many partnerships and associations. First, there was my connection to my peers in the legislature as a survivor. Next, there was my knowledge of what the state had already tried to do. Then, there are the people working cancer issues at the legislature already. You have to make them aware of your goal and let them know that you are willing to help them, and not take away from the monies they are seeking or have secured in the past.
There is also a lot of education that needs to take place with the staffers, as well as the legislators.
What would you tell people who are interested in perhaps driving policy for people for access to colorectal screening, like patient navigation?
Nothing sells better than a person who is passionate about what they want and they can explain the importance of the need. Knowing and being able to explain the back-end savings will help, too. We decided to start small so we could show results, and then grow the program. The key to any successful program and growth of a program will be the success you can demonstrate and quantify.
So What do I do if I am a state agency or federal employee, or the funding I receive will not allow for me to advocate for governmental policy?
The general rule is that those paid by or with state/ federal funds are not allowed to advocate or do policy work during paid work hours. Typically, you are able to educate and provide insight about issues, but you cannot actively advocate yourself. Partnerships with those who are specifically designated to do this work might be a good resource to consider. Several organizations (below) within the cancer community have addressed the issue of how advocacy might be used to help sustain patient navigation
To find additionally resources for effective advocacy visit: