I can hardly believe 2012 is coming to an end. As the new year approaches, I always like to think back on the accomplishments and significant events of the past 12 months. To say ACS CAN was busy this year is an understatement. We had a great year, and I want to share some of our highlights with you.

The public health community lost a tireless and enormously effective champion when Senator Arlen Specter succumbed to cancer on Sunday at the age of 82. I thought it was only appropriate to pay tribute to him by recognizing his unparalleled contributions to the fight against cancer.

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee responsible for funding programs at the NIH and CDC passed a budget proposal that flat lines cancer research and defunds important programs that would improve access to care for families affected by cancer. Needless to say, this is a huge disappointment for cancer patients across the country.

Through research, we have available screening tests for the top four cancers including colonoscopy, mammography and most recently, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center, the low-dose spiral CT scan that has the potential to identify early lung cancers.

With all of the precincts reporting in, there are only 40,000 votes separating the yes votes from the no votes. However, estimates show more than 1 million mail-in and provisional ballots were left uncounted on election night. Therefore, ACS CAN and the campaign coalition are not conceding the election outcome, and we and our public health partners are pledging to fight for the health of Californians until every vote is counted.

I had the privilege of participating in an ACS CAN event in Seattle yesterday that really illustrated the importance of federal funding for cancer research. We partnered with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to emphasize that research funding doesn't just fight cancer, it pours money back into local economies and creates jobs.

The President released his Fiscal Year 2013 budget yesterday, and I was deeply disappointed to see that his proposal cut funding for cancer research. This comes just weeks after the President specifically highlighted the importance of cancer research in his State of the Union address.