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Cancer Research: You Do the Math
Cancer Funding: You Do the MathEach year, the federal government spends $5 billion on cancer research, despite the fact that cancer costs our nation more than $200 billion dollars annually! As the baby boomer population ages, experts predict a 55 percent increase in cancer patients by 2020, described by some as a "cancer tsunami." We need a renewed commitment to cancer research on par with the cancer crisis.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I join with other cancer advocates to request a 6.7 percent increase in funding - at a minimum - for cancer research in the 2008 fiscal year. Sadly, the House of Representatives is proposing an increase of only about 1.9 percent for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and 1.5 percent for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). That is not even enough to maintain current programs, much less undertake new life-saving research! As your constituent, I ask you to support the full 6.7 percent increase for the NIH and NCI in 2008. Your support is vital to the continuation of these life-saving studies! In addition, earlier this year you reauthorized the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), which ensures more women have access to quality breast and cervical cancer screening. But the program won't save any lives if it is not fully funded! I ask you to support the fully authorized amount - $225 million for the 2008 fiscal year. The federal government spends about $5 billion annually researching cancer, yet the disease costs our nation more than $200 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity. Cancer kills more Americans every year than died in all the wars of the 20th century! Funding for the NIH, the NCI and NBCCEDP - while a record high by historical standards - has remained essentially flat over the last several years when adjusted for inflation. Please make sure the NIH, NCI and NBCCEDP are properly funded. I look forward to hearing from you on these important issues.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
This year alone, more than 217,000 American women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and over 40,000 will die from this devastating disease. In addition to invasive breast cancer, 59,390 new cases of in situ breast cancer are expected to occur among women during 2006. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women ages 40-50. Tell us why you care about breast cancer.
