Senator Stanley Receives Oklahoma Distinguished Advocacy Award from American Cancer Society

OKLAHOMA CITY— Senator Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, recently received the Oklahoma Distinguished Advocacy Award from the American Cancer Society.

Stanley, who serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, was honored for her work on Senate Bill 109 and House Bill 1389 in the 2025 session. The measures expanded coverage under health benefit plans to include contrast-enhanced mammograms and molecular breast imaging as part of diagnostic and supplemental breast cancer examinations, as well as clinical genetic testing for certain cancer-related markers and evidence-based cancer imaging for individuals at increased risk or with a family history of cancer.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the Oklahoma Distinguished Advocacy Award from the American Cancer Society,” Stanley said. “Ensuring that Oklahomans have access to advanced diagnostic tools is critical in the fight against cancer. Expanding coverage for preventative screenings through this legislation represents a meaningful step toward promoting early detection and improving health outcomes in our state.”

Stanley has long advocated for enhanced cancer care and additional cancer screenings, drawing on her firsthand experience of caring for family members who fought cancer and navigated the challenges of complex treatment.

“Having cared for both my husband and sister through their battles with cancer, I know firsthand the challenges families face throughout this diagnosis and treatment,” Stanley said. “I will continue advocating for early detection so that other families do not have to fight this battle, or that if they do, the cancer can be identified early and treated before it becomes life-threatening.”

Stanley added that she looks forward to continued collaboration with legislative colleagues and partner organizations like the American Cancer Society to ensure that all Oklahomans have access to the health services and screenings they need to live longer, healthier lives.

The new laws resulting from Stanley’s legislation will soon take effect on November 1.

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