LEXINGTON, Ky. — Volunteers with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network brought thousands of signatures to Sen. Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., office in Lexington.

Pam Pilgrim and Courtney Johnson, American Cancer Society volunteers, made a visit to Lexington. Pilgrim has nearly 20 years of service under her belt advocating from the state Capitol to Washington.  

She and Johnson are two of more than 60,000 signatures supporting the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Act now in Congress.

The bill would allow Medicare beneficiaries or people 65-plus to have multiple cancer screenings covered by their insurance.

Johnson is a breast cancer survivor and said doctors noticed the disease through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

“I didn't have to have radiation or chemotherapy, but [with] the type of cancer that I had, the MRI helped me be able to find that early," Johnson said. "It would not have shown up on a mammogram for another couple of years, and then my scenario could have been very different." 

She said she has lost loved ones and knowing the risk ahead could help. 

“I lost my grandparents to cancer as well," Johnson said. "When I think about it, if they would have had the ability to find their cancer earlier, would it have made a difference? Would I have had more time with them?"

Pilgrim said she's from eastern Kentucky, where many people lack access, funds and resource support toward early cancer detection. 

“So many of our residents do not get tested early, [so] the cancer has progressed, and the treatment is a lot more expensive," she said. "And of course, a lot more people lose their lives.” 

According to a report, just 14% of cancer reports are found through recommended screening. Pilgrim said she wants people to have a greater chance of beating the illness.

“It's been in Congress for two or three years, and we're hoping this is the year that it will go through and get passed,” she said.