American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Maine - ACS CAN

04/24/2026

Our volunteers truly are the reason why we are able to see so many great successes in Maine and throughout the country. We are so lucky to work with Mainers who are so passionate and dedicated to the fight against cancer!

If our posts have moved you to get involved with ACS CAN Maine, please sign up to join our volunteer team. https://fightcancer.org/VolME

04/23/2026

For today's spotlight, we are thrilled to introduce Co-Act Lead, Carol Pesti. Carol has called many places home: Massachusetts, Virginia, and she now resides in Jay, Maine. Carol has been with ACS CAN since its creation in 2001, originally representing Virginia until her retirement in 2019. She is a passionate, caring, and persistent advocate with our organization and we're so glad to have her on the team!

Q+A with Carol:
Q: What is your personal cancer connection?
A: I was diagnosed with breast cancer late 1998 only months after losing my dad to prostate cancer. In early 1999 I began volunteering for my local ACS board and Relay For Life event. Over the course of the following years I would become a caregiver to my Mom and ultimately lose her to lung cancer and both of my brothers would be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Q: What do you like about advocating with us?
A: I am honored to be a voice for all the other cancer patients, survivors and caregivers advocating for policy and laws that benefit the patients and their families and loved ones.

Q: What is your proudest ACS CAN moment?
A: Having been selected to represent my district at the Celebration on the Hill in Washington DC in both 2002 and 2006. Also the passing and signing of legislation for Medicaid expansion in Virginia.

Q: When you're not advocating for cancer patients, what can people find you doing?
A: I love the outdoors camping, hiking, fishing, kayaking in the milder months and snowshoeing in the winter. I also enjoy photography.

04/22/2026

We have another amazing human being to recognize today for in new ACT Lead, Shawna Ackley. Shawna lives in Scarborough and has been with the organization a little over a year! She is a fiercely passionate, driven, and caring volunteer who has made a huge impact in her time with us!

Q+A with Shawna:

Q: What is your personal cancer connection?
A: 3. My cancer connection is both personal and deeply tied to my advocacy work. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38 in 2021 while raising a busy toddler, and the high cost of breast imaging almost kept me from seeking care. That experience showed me firsthand how financial barriers can impact early detection and outcomes. Since then, I have been committed to using my voice to improve access to affordable healthcare at the state and federal level, and it has been an incredibly healing and empowering part of my breast cancer journey.

Q: What do you like about advocating with us?
A: I like that ACS CAN turns lived experience into real policy change. It gives me a seat at the table where decisions are being made and the tools to turn survivor stories into action that lawmakers understand. I also value the focus on bipartisan, evidence-based advocacy while still centering the human impact behind every policy issue.

Q: What is your proudest ACS CAN moment?
A: My proudest ACS CAN moment was attending Leadership Summit & Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., where I met directly with lawmakers to advocate for healthcare access, early detection, protecting ACA tax credits and subsidies, and cancer research. It was meaningful to bring a survivor perspective into those conversations and connect real patient experience to federal policy decisions. The experience reinforced how important it is to have voices like mine at the table when healthcare policy is being shaped.

Q: When you're not advocating for cancer patients, what can people find you doing?
A: 6. I love going to the beach with family and friends. My son and I have a new hobby of painting rocks and shells. We also love a good dance party and playing soccer together.

04/21/2026

Today's highlight is co- ACT Lead, Bethany Zell. She is from Caribou and has been volunteering with us since 2015! Bethany is an inspirational and tenacious volunteer who believes in educating her friends and family on the power of advocacy!

Q + A with Bethany:
Q: What is your personal cancer connection?
A: I began as a caregiver to my best friend, then became a cancer advocate and support group facilitator at a local hospital. After losing my mom to stage IV NET cancer in 2022, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. I am currently NED and on hormone therapy.
Q: What do you like about advocating with us?
A: This organization focuses on helping people with all cancers. I also love that I’ve been able to involve my daughters—teaching them that advocacy is about action, accountability, and using your voice to create change.
Q: What is your proudest ACS CAN moment?
A: My proudest moments have been advocating alongside my youngest daughter in DC: watching her speak in our Hill meetings at the Leadership Summit and be recognized for her voice and impact. Being selected for Maine’s Lights of Hope luminary in 2024 was also an incredible honor.
Q: When you're not advocating for cancer patients, what can people find you doing?
A: I love to read, travel, and spend time with my family and one year old Shih Tzu, Paisley

Stay tuned this week for more introductions to our leadership team!

04/20/2026

Our next highlight is our Vice State Lead Ambassador, Mary Lou Warn. She is from Winslow and has been volunteering with ACS CAN for 9 years. Mary Lou is a kind and compassionate volunteer who advocates for a better future for her friends and family.

Q + A with Mary Lou:

Q: What is your personal cancer connection?
A: My son’s addiction to va**ng in high school combined with parents who smoked, made the connection to to***co use and cancer risk very real for my family. I advocate for stronger to***co control policies to prevent addiction, reduce cancer risk and protect the next generation.

Q: What do you like about advocating with us?
A: I advocate because it gives purpose to my experiences and turns them into action that helps others. I am so appreciative for the amazing and supportive group of people at ACS CAN. I know with this team I can make a difference.

Q: What is your proudest ACS CAN moment?
A: My proudest moment was when my son Jake’s story was read prior to a vote to pass a bill increasing funding for Maine's To***co Control program. Jake stepped up and exposed the truth about the to***co industry targeting youth with v**e products.

Q: When you're not advocating for cancer patients, what can people find you doing?
A: If I’m not teaching fitness classes at the gym, you can find me on my mountain bike, tennis court or on the slopes. I’m also a bit of a history-meets-adventure mix. I love exploring and connecting stories from the past.

Stay tuned this week for more introductions to our leadership team!

04/19/2026

For our first highlight, we're thrilled to introduce Mikala Bousquet, State Lead Ambassador for Maine. Mikala is from Topsham and has been volunteering with ACS CAN since 2015! She leads by example, advocating at the state and federal levels for her friends, family, and patients every day. We are so grateful to have a volunteer like Mikala!

Q + A with Mikala:
Q: What is your personal cancer connection?
A: I lost my mom to metastatic breast cancer when I was 20. My grand mother, aunt, and baby sister are breast cancer survivors. And I'm an oncology social worker by day!

Q: What do you like about advocating with us?
A: I love that we are always fighting for access, however that looks. People deserve access to quality care.

Q: What is your proudest ACS CAN moment?
A: Maine passing Medicaid expansion through the ballot initiative in 2017!

Q: When you're not advocating for cancer patients, what can people find you doing?
A: I have a 3.5 year old girl who is helping me explore cool outdoor adventures all over Maine.

Stay tuned this week for more introductions to our leadership team!

04/19/2026

We are so glad to kick off with a shout out to volunteers from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont who attended American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network - ACS CAN's Spring Leadership Summit! Our volunteers are the strongest, passionate, and most resilient bunch and we are so blessed to have them advocating with us!

Stay tuned this week for highlights of ACS CAN Maine's leadership volunteers!

04/08/2026

Thank you, WMTW-TV for highlighting how important it is to fund biomarker testing in Maine!

Join us in sending a message to our lawmakers telling them to fund this important legislation to help end cancer as we know it for everyone! https://act.fightcancer.org/a/tell-your-lawmaker-fund-biomarker-testing-2

Advocates for a biomarker bill are hoping the legislature will fund this legislation.

04/06/2026

This evening we are thrilled to celebrate a huge win: Governor Mills signed a bill to protect Mainers by prohibiting medical debt collectors from placing a lien on a person’s home or garnishing their wages into law!

We are grateful to everyone who helped this bill pass into law. Addressing medical debt in Maine is crucial to accomplishing ACS CAN’s mission of ending cancer as we know it for everyone.

Read more about it at: https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/governor-mills-signs-law-to-strengthen

04/06/2026

Help us make a difference by contacting your lawmakers today!

We need biomarker testing to be covered by public and private health insurance in Maine so that more patients can benefit, regardless of their income or zip code.

Ask your committee member to please fund LD 107.
https://act.fightcancer.org/a/tell-your-lawmaker-fund-biomarker-testing-2