Debbie's Dream Foundation Opens Registration for the 14th Annual Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill

The event empowers advocates nationwide to push for increased NIH funding and early detection of stomach cancer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) is proud to announce the launch of registration for its 14th Annual Stomach Cancer Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, taking place February 23-24, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Advocates from across the country will unite to urge Congress to expand federal support for stomach cancer research and early detection efforts through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other government agencies.

For over a decade, DDF has led the charge in making stomach cancer a national priority. The Foundation was the first organization to host a dedicated advocacy day for stomach cancer on Capitol Hill and is directly responsible for securing nearly $47 million in dedicated federal research funding for stomach cancer through the Department of Defense's Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program since 2015, as well as a 55% increase in stomach cancer research funding through the National Cancer Institute since 2020. This research funding has laid the groundwork for transformational clinical trials such as MATTERHORN, which was led in part by DDF Scientific and Medical Advisory Board member Dr. Yelena Janjigian and funded through the NIH.

"Increased federal investment in research is essential to accelerating the breakthroughs we desperately need," said Michael Ehren, DDF Board President. "Groundbreaking trials like MATTERHORN would not be possible without sustained federal support. Further, we need federal support to build the cadre of researchers required to find the answers patients desperately need. Now more than ever, we need advocates and the research community to speak out and keep the momentum going."

The 14th Annual Advocacy Day will also elevate calls for H. pylori screening in the Armed Forces and support for the Stomach Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Act, which aims to improve awareness and detection of a disease that remains one of the deadliest and most underfunded cancers in the U.S. Recent research published in JAMA Oncology (October 2025) highlights a troubling rise in early-onset stomach cancer, making federal support more urgent than ever.

DDF's Stomach Cancer Capitol Hill Advocacy Day has grown from fewer than 50 participants in
2014 to nearly 200 in 2025, with meetings scheduled across all 50 states and key congressional districts. The 2026 event will continue offering advocate training, arranged congressional meetings, and opportunities for networking and community-building among participants. Limited financial assistance will be available to eligible advocates through the DDF Advocacy Scholarship Fund.
Registration is now open, and DDF encourages individuals impacted by stomach cancer or those passionate about creating change to join the fight. To learn more and register, visit www.DebbiesDream.org/advocacy.

About Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
DDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gastric cancer, advancing research funding, and providing international education and support to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF's ultimate goal is to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality.

DDF was founded in 2009 by Debbie Zelman after she was diagnosed with stage IV incurable gastric cancer in 2008 and given only weeks to live. Debbie is considered a pioneer by many for bringing awareness to the plight of stomach cancer patients worldwide, as well as to the lack of federal funding for stomach cancer research. She did all of this while receiving hundreds of rounds of chemo and daily oral treatments. Debbie passed away on December 23, 2017, at 50, almost a decade later. As a result of her leadership, DDF now has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of world-renowned doctors and chapters throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Germany, and Japan. DDF strives to continue Debbie's mission to make her dream a reality. To learn more, visit www.DebbiesDream.org.

Media Contact:
Brittnay Starks, Communications Director
Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
(954) 475-1200
[email protected]
www.DebbiesDream.org

SOURCE Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer