Legorreta Cancer Center Honors Rhode Island House Speaker Shekarchi

The Legorreta Cancer Center honored House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi for his support of cancer-related legislation.

Dr. Wafik El-Deiry, director of the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, presented the award to Speaker Shekarchi at the center's annual retreat Thursday.

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“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award from the Legorreta Cancer Center, which I respectfully share with my colleagues in the House of Representatives, who are my partners in advocacy,” Shekarchi, D-Warwick, said in a media release.

“Rhode Island is so fortunate to be home to internationally recognized health care institutions and cutting-edge research," Shekarchi said. "The Legorreta Center’s work is changing lives and giving hope to countless families throughout the Ocean State and beyond."

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Since 2021, when Speaker Shekarchi was first elected House Speaker, the General Assembly has passed laws aiding cancer researchers in Rhode Island, mandating full insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screenings, requiring insurers to cover biomarker testing for cancer treatment, lowering out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for cancer patients, mandating coverage of dense breast tissue screenings and banning toxic chemicals linked to cancer," the release said.

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"We are lucky to have Speaker Joe Shekarchi as a champion who cares about the well-being of Rhode Islanders, including caring about effective strategies to reduce the burden of cancer in the state," El-Deiry said in the release. "The Legorreta Cancer Center is committed to the vision of a 'cancer free Rhode Island and beyond' and looks forward to working with the Speaker and his colleagues as we pursue the highest standards of excellence and innovation."

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