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No one should face breast cancer alone
Susan G. Komen's Champions for the Cure TM program uses the power of activism to achieve important legislative objectives at federal, state and local levels. Right now, we need your help addressing a critical issue: funding for patient navigation.
Patient navigators are a critical resource for breast cancer patients in underserved populations who need help navigating our complicated health care system. Whether it's finding key medical records, or securing transportation and child care during appointments, or helping those with low literacy skills complete paperwork, patient navigators make sure that breast cancer patients don’t have to go it alone. Patient navigation can help eliminate barriers to screening, diagnosis and treatment.
This vital program was not funded in this year's budget—patients should not be made to wait another year! This is your chance to help thousands of people in their greatest time of need, and to make someone else's battle against breast cancer just a little bit easier. Please send the message below to urge your Members of Congress to support full funding for the program.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Support funding for the Patient Navigator Act
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As your constituent, I want you to support full funding of the Patient Navigator Act. Patient navigators provide critical support to breast cancer patients who need assistance working through our complicated health system, so they can get the quality care they need and deserve.
The Patient Navigator Act was passed in 2005, but it still hasn't received any funding. That's just not right.
Congress authorized $15 million for the Patient Navigator Act in Fiscal Year 2008 - but once again appropriated no money in the new budget. As a result, breast cancer patients will have to wait yet another year for help. I am asking you to make sure the program is fully funded in the next budget, for Fiscal Year 2009. A breast cancer diagnosis is overwhelming enough - this is a real way to make thousands of patients' lives just a little easier.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this important issue.
Sincerely,
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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.