When we got my Dad’s diagnosis, we were floored. Aren’t you supposed to be warned before a life changing few words are sprung on you? Isn’t there a big billboard that says “Hey, FYI life altering cancer diagnosis up ahead! Brace yourselves!” My dad – the late Congressman Gerry Connolly – has always been vivacious, strong, and focused on the next policy problem he could sink his teeth into. Who had time for cancer? 

He had no obvious symptoms of cancer – yes, he had lost a little weight and he was so proud of how hard he worked to accomplish that! – but not the watch signs you hear about. It seemed he went from fine one day, to a life altering diagnosis the next. Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world and the available treatments can be vicious on the body. Unfortunately, while esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of death from cancer worldwide (1) and the fastest growing cancer among American men (2), it is relatively rare and research for it is chronically underfunded (3). 

After his diagnosis, we quickly learned cancer is a family affair, a village affair really – and we were blessed with friends and neighbors willing to jump in to help at a moment’s notice. My dad continuously reflected on how challenging this journey would have been for a family who didn’t have the village we do. It ate at him. His energy, which very validly could have been spent on self-reflection and lamentation, was spent working and meeting with other cancer survivors, care givers, the medical community, and advocates. He felt a burning passion to turn his story into something that could help others, and was in a unique position to make that a reality. 

Following his diagnosis, two things happened: 

First, I, his only child, was diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus. A precancerous condition that can lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma cancer, and usually – though not always – follows prolonged GERD symptoms. 

Second, he set his mind on bringing awareness to esophageal cancer, and the importance of prevention and research. Early detection is critical for cancer outcomes, but prevention – especially for esophageal cancer – is paramount. He worked with medical professionals and health advocates, and heard stories from survivors – firefighters, 9/11 first responders, fellow dads, their families. Right before he passed, my dad introduced the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act. This bill directed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on federal government spending on esophageal cancer-related health care for current and retired federal employees, and how often high risk individuals undergo screenings. Its intent was to further research and insights into prevention and patient care. Two weeks after dad’s death, on June 3, 2025 the House of Representatives passed what then became the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act following an amendment from Representative Comer (KY-1, R) to designate the act in my dad’s honor. A year later in June of this year, the Senate voted unanimously to support it and sent it to the President’s desk to make it law. It was a bipartisan effort that acknowledged the importance of making strides in esophageal cancer research. 

My dad’s hope, and ours, is that GAO’s report will illuminate how health care spending and prevention intersect, and make a meaningful difference for high-risk populations. While the findings won’t be available until next year, the impact of this bill is already making waves by bringing federal attention to one of the fastest growing cancers in the US and putting it on our country’s healthcare agenda. This will have a real impact on people’s lives. It will help shape prevention practices across the US, and lead to improved standards of care for patients. And with any luck, more families will be spared from this disease.  

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1 Arnal, María José Domper, et al. “Esophageal cancer: Risk factors, screening and endoscopic treatment in Western and Eastern countries.” World Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 21, no. 26, 2015, pp. 7933-7948. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v21.i26.7933 

2 United States, Congress, House. Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025. H.R. 3490, 119th Congress, enrolled bill, GovInfo, 2026. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3490/text 

3 Berglas, E., et al. “Inequity of NIH cancer funding in the United States: an ecological study predicting funding based on disease burden from 2008 through 2023.” The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, vol. 45, 2025, p. 101081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2025.101081