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We all know someone who has heard the words “you have cancer,” and many of us have fought the disease ourselves. As a cancer survivor, I traveled to Washington, D.C. this month to let my voice be heard and to call on Congress to make investments in cancer research a top priority.
Lives are at risk. More than 600,000 Americans will die from cancer this year alone. But with over 16.9 million cancer survivors alive today, we know that past investments in cancer research have made a real difference for millions of Americans–and further investments in research hold the key to saving more lives and, one day, ending death from cancer.
I met with Congressman Courtney and explained to him that each dollar Congress puts toward cancer research offers hope to so many Americans. New breakthroughs in treatment and prevention won’t sit idle in labs across the country; instead, they will be delivered to those who need it the most.
We are at a point where advancements in research are saving more lives than ever; and it’s critical that we keep this momentum going forward. Now is not the time to turn back the clock on progress made. Now is the time to invest in lifesaving cancer research.
Congress must act now. By increasing medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health by $2.5 billion, we can continue to make progress in the fight against cancer.
Donna Rogers
Volunteer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
Higganum, CT
