Imperial High School student meets with lawmakers to advocate for cancer patients and survivors
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - An imperial high school senior is advocating for cancer patients and survivors all the way to the california state capitol.
At just 18 years old this high school student accomplished something she hoped for and that is being voice for her county.
“Being this young and having the chance to go to Sacramento and meet people that work for us and telling them hey you know... this can help our community why don’t you work for this bill.. It was very empowering and as well as being a latina,” said Jessica Covarrubias Gracia, Imperial high school student.
Jessica Covarrubias Garcia traveled to sacramento to speak to state lawmakers about the importance of Senate Bill 496.
She urged legislators to make cancer treatments a priority by passing the Bill which would ensure more insurance plans covering comprehensive biomarker testing.
“You are going to sacramento... it’s a totally different world compared to the valley... so I felt like I was doing something important for the people in my community to get biomarkers which they need it,” said Covarrubias Garcia.
The community engagement manager for the organization says they are working to push a project for the whole county.
“The project called vive were we are working to create a smoke free outdoor spaces and one of the cities were we have been working on for the last four years has been the city of Imperial,” said Melissa Curiel.
She says she is thankful for Garcia and hopes young adults follow her footsteps.
"We are very pleased to jessica help out for the last 4 years and we are sad to see her go off to college... we would like to extend an invitation to the youth in imperial county who would like to make a difference just like Jessica did," said Curiel.
Being the youngest advocate in attendance along with traveling to the capitol checks off some of what she hoped to accomplish.
Covarrubias gracia started as a volunteer for American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network four years ago, after her best friend’s mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
