Leukemia Survivor Meets Country Music Singer Luke Combs, Sarcoma Nonprofit to Honor Minecraft YouTube Celebrity Technoblade and More

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From the late YouTuber “Technoblade” being honored by the Sarcoma Foundation of America to a country singer making a leukemia survivor’s dreams come true, here’s what’s happening in the cancer space this week.

The Senate passed the PACT Act to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed health complications from burn pit exposure.

After being approved by the House of Representatives in July, the PACT Act was passed in the Senate and will next head to President Joe Biden to sign. The act, which passed 86-11, will expand health care benefits for United States veterans who became sick as a result of exposure to burn pits during their military career.

Back in 2018, President Biden spoke out against the health complications from burn pits, and even mentioned that they may have contributed to his late son’s glioblastoma (brain cancer) diagnosis.

If PACT Act gets signed into law, it will provide coverage for more than 3 million veterans who were exposed to toxins via burn pits, which have been linked to health complications including lung cancer and overall increased risk of death, according to the American Cancer Society.

Popular Minecraft YouTube celebrity Technoblade to be honored by the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

Technoblade, a Minecraft YouTuber who died from stage 4 sarcoma earlier this summer, will posthumously be given the Sarcoma Foundation of America’s Courage Award at the 20th Annual Stand Up to Sarcoma Gala this September.

Before his death, the 23-year-old encouraged his millions of YouTube subscribers to donate to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, and through his efforts — both before and after his death — more than $500,000 was raised for the nonprofit.

“The Courage Award is given annually to sarcoma survivors or advocates who illustrate, through their personal efforts and actions, sarcoma advocacy,” the Sarcoma Foundation of America said on its website. “These individuals are advocates who inspire others by using their platform on behalf of sarcoma patients and survivors to create hope and a better life for the sarcoma community. Technoblade was a shining example of a Courage Award honoree.”

Country singer Luke Combs met with a leukemia survivor and brought her up on stage during a concert in Columbus, Ohio.

Addi Conely, a patient with acute myeloid leukemia, was living her dream when she met country singer Luke Combs. The Grammy nominee flew her and her family out to Ohio for the concert and spoke with her backstage.

During the show, Combs invited Conely on stage for her favorite song, “Better Together.”

In a Facebook post, Conely’s mother, Staci, said that it was the best night of their lives.

“Forever grateful for this incredible opportunity to hang out with Luke Combs and all of the amazing people that work with him. He is such an incredible man who showed up BIG time for us,” she wrote on the social media platform.

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