Empower: LUNG CANCER ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT
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November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. You can participate in making our collective voices heard.
The Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2009 (HR 2112/S 332) would establish a comprehensive, interagency response to significantly reduce lung cancer mortality by 2015. It amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Kathleen Sebelius) to implement a plan to achieve a minimum of 25% reduction in lung cancer deaths by 2015. It requires that an early detection and disease management research program be coordinated between HHS and the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs and mandates adequate funding to meet the 2015 objectives in the Act. This is precisely the kind of comprehensive response initiated to tackle breast cancer 3 decades ago and this is what it will take to have meaningful impact on the statistics I’ve shared.
This sounds great until you understand that this very same bill has been volleyed between the House and Senate since 2006, AND the original bill required a reduction of 50%! But the good news is it now has over 60 co-sponsors. The bad news is in June, 2009 it was “referred to committee” which is legislative code for the place potentially good legislation goes to die. We cannot let this happen!! The mortality reductions sought in this bill are realistic and achievable if it is enacted in 2010. Collectively, we have the power to put energy into action and make a difference.
Here’s what you can do right now: Go to:
http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/involved/contact_congress.html. This link brings you to the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) “contact Congress” page. You will find the sample letter which can be e-mailed (preferred) or printed off and sent to your representatives, along with other suggestions on how to advocate. We must mobilize every friend, colleague, and loved one to do the same. Please consider organizing your own local email campaign to demand that our elected officials ACT and ACT NOW! 2010 is an election year and healthcare is the # 1 debate driving the run-up to those elections. This is the time to harness our collective power through the internet and push for their response. Here are the consequences of inaction:
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- # of lung cancer deaths in the 4 years our elected officials have failed to act: 800,000
- Total number who will die by 2015 if this bill is not enacted in 2010: 1,520,000
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