Urge President Obama & Congress to include Cancer Funding in the 2010 Budget! Breast Cancer SUSAN B KOMAN Activists RACE FOR THE CURE Be A Hero

Dear Lynn, This week, President Obama made a pledge to: "...launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American, including me, by seeking a cure for cancer in our time." Tell Congress to honor that pledge by including cancer funding in the federal budget! This is a critical time for cancer funding. Yesterday, President Obama presented his budget to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year. His proposal would dramatically boost funding for cancer research and now we need Congress to support it! Urge Congress to include critical cancer funding in the 2010 budget! Tuesday night, during his speech to Congress, President Obama pledged to: "...launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American, including me, by seeking a cure for cancer in our time." But, if our leaders in Congress fail to include critical funding for cancer provisions in the federal budget, we will fail to meet the promise of the President's pledge. That's why we need your help. Please write your leaders in Congress and tell them you support funding for cancer initiatives in the 2010 budget. Last year during our I Vote for the Cure campaign, over 100,000 dedicated Komen Activists took action – demanding that our leaders make ending breast cancer a national priority. Thanks to those efforts, the government included additional funding for cancer research in the economic recovery package. This was a good first step, but the stimulus funding is temporary. In order to ensure we realize the dream of one day finding the cures for cancer, we must make permanent provisions that will: Increase investments in science and research. The economic stimulus package boosted funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI). While this reverses a six-year trend of declining budgets, this temporary investment must be matched by a long-term commitment to clinical research. Close the gap in access to early detection services. Current funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program allows less than one in five eligible women to be screened for cancer. Additional funding will help thousands more women receive potentially life-saving screening services. Help patients navigate the U.S. health care system.The Patient Navigator Program helps patients navigate the often complex and confusing health care system. This important program helps coordinate care between general practitioners, radiologists, oncologists and others. However, under-funding threatens this key component in care and treatment for cancer. Congress will debate and vote on the budget soon. Click here TODAY and urge our leaders to include vital cancer funding in the new budget. Thanks for all that you do. Together, we can one day end the suffering and death caused by cancer. Sincerely, Martina A. Hone  President Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance P.S. When you take action, you can visit our new website, www.KomenAdvocacy.org, and learn more about the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance.