My work for Less Cancer is in the public interest, and I work in the public arena. In this era of vilifying "professional politicians", I have to say that I have had some wonderful experiences with elected officials both Democratic and Republican.
One such experience that stands out happened in 2004, just after founding Less Cancer, when I met with then-Lt Governor, now vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine.
I am one of a million; many Virginians have stories about Tim Kaine because he was that approachable, interested, and an active advocate, whether as City Councilman, Mayor, Lt. Governor, Governor and U.S. Senator.
Since that time our paths did cross a few times, but that first meeting stands out because of the very personal turn it took.
At the time of my visit, the wounds were raw from some of the recent deaths that had incited the founding of Less Cancer. The conversation with Kaine turned to be about my sister Anne who had died months before my visit.
As we were discussing Anne, suddenly and unexpectedly with no warning, I felt a sea of emotion, the room went sideways in a breath and the rest was a blur.
I looked down to conceal my panic. As if a dam had broken, tears streamed down the side of my face. Not really being able to look up I saw his hand reach over with a Kleenex, and again, then another, and then another -- no words were spoken but soon after this embarrassing moment he quietly said, "I am sorry Bill."
It was so weird, to say the least. I was just wondering how I could disappear.
I had been eager to meet with the then Lt. Governor as I was new to knocking on legislator doors. I appreciated his interest to meet with me and hear about our work in cancer prevention. I was at the beginning of my journey to create the understanding that policy can help impact public health, and specifically the increasing incidence of cancer that there is today. This was all pre-global audiences, social media, or the Huffington Post. It was hard to get an audience talking about something thought to be unthinkable at the time--cancer prevention.
We were not friends; I was not a potential donor. I had nothing to bring to him at the time but to enlist him for his help. He met with me because he was interested. However, after the meeting at the time, I sat in the car in the parking lot marveling that I just had a therapy session.
There was no better place to have a pitch-turn-train-wreck than in Tim Kaine's office. Personally speaking, that experience gave me all the confidence to keep knocking on doors. Tim had told me it was going to require much bridge building, and that this was going to be a long process. He was right.
While some of the details are fuzzy these many years later, what is not fuzzy was his sincerity and empathy. Before that time I had not given myself permission to grieve; before that moment I never had that moment -- I never had cried about my sister or expressed the loss of her early departure.
Personally speaking, what I have learned from that visit is that many legislators -- local, statewide and federal, both on the right and left and everything in between -- can be and are for the most part caring people. They care and wish to make our towns, communities and our country a better place.
I meet legislators all the time, "insiders" that are very much interested in public health and cancer prevention.
Every year on National Cancer Prevention Day we have a fairly extensive list of legislators that are interested in connecting the evidenced based science to policy and learning more about what they can do to prevent health risks that would lead to cancer. These mostly are great men and women both Democrat and Republican, who understand working together and collaborating with the next generation in mind. They understand that preventing cancer is a team sport. Yes, "Washington insiders" want what we want -- Less Cancer.