WASHINGTON – December 8, 2010 – With the holidays fast approaching, families affected by cancer are calling on Congress to approve spending levels for Fiscal Year 2011 that sustain the current level of support for research and prevention so that progress in the fight against cancer will not be stalled.
“Without a congressional agreement on spending, groundbreaking research projects that could yield new discoveries that lead to better diagnostic tools and treatments face an uncertain future,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “We’ve made tremendous advances in the fight against cancer, but we must commit to sustain funding for medical research in a way that promotes further advances.”
This year, it is anticipated that 1.5 million people in America will be told they have cancer, and 569,000 people will die from the disease.
The mapping of the human genome has unlocked many of cancer’s various mysteries. Pulling the plug on funding for cancer research now would diminish our potential to leverage that new information into the development of lifesaving treatments.
“In a difficult budget environment, elected officials must make tough choices about our national priorities, and ending death and suffering from cancer should have a dedicated spot on that list,” said Christopher W. Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “Funding cancer research and prevention programs in fits in starts will not help us to reach our potential.”
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the war on cancer – which has been a bipartisan endeavor since its inception. ACS CAN is calling on Congress to continue to work together to fund cancer research at levels that will, at a minimum, maintain support this year for ongoing promising research, and well-established evidence-based prevention programs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alissa Havens or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 661-5772 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
