On the recordFebruary 4, 2015
Today is World Cancer Day, a day to recognize the patients, survivors, caregivers, and those who raise awareness on their behalf. Cancer has touched every family and community in some way, and it is their stories that sustain the fight for increased funding for medical research. According to the World Health Organization, cancer has caused over 8.2 million deaths worldwide. By the end of 2015, more than 1.5 million new cases will have been diagnosed within the United States. Investing in medical research leads to advanced treatments and cures and has the potential to lower these devastating outcomes. It boosts the economy through job creation and new discoveries, and it allows America to maintain its position as a global leader in the fight for a cure. Yet, in the last decade, funding to the National Institutes of Health has been cut by nearly 25 percent. This is unacceptable. Last week, I reintroduced the Accelerating Biomedical Research Act with Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Peter King. It is a bill that invests in the fight against horrible disease. While today we recognize World Cancer Day, the goal must be to celebrate the day when we have a world without cancer. ____________________
