Earlier today, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) convened a coalition of cancer survivors, leading researchers, medical providers and community advocates to urge Pennsylvania’s Members of Congress to protect cancer research funding. They opted to send the message to Congress in front of Independence Hall given that the landmark has long stood as a symbol of America’s promise and progress and, today, serves as a reminder of what is possible when Americans come together with a shared purpose.
Speakers and advocates lamented the president’s budget proposal, which contains around $18 billion in cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $2.7 billion to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Last month, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up a funding bill that rejected this proposal, instead providing increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), but the battle is not over. ACS CAN volunteers are asking members to keep pushing against cuts and prevent delays in funding when the Senate and the House negotiate a final version of the bill this fall.
“The fight against cancer has been a long, arduous battle, but we’re making incredible progress with innovative research into better treatments and cures. We’re now at a pivotal moment,” said Dr. Paul Hull, Vice President of Regional Advocacy at ACS CAN. “If Congress slashes the NIH and NCI budgets, then we’ll stall and perhaps even go backwards in this fight. The life-saving work of researchers on the cusp of new discoveries will be thwarted unnecessarily, and fewer people will have access to clinical trials. The Administration and Congress can’t possibly want that to happen.”
Several cancer survivors were present to demonstrate how research has factored into their lives and survivorship. Lynne Alston is an 11-year survivor of triple negative breast cancer, co-chair of the Community Advisory Board at Fox Chase Cancer Center and CEO & founder of HUGS Around America.
“My cancer story began in the most unexpected way -- with a hug. In that ordinary moment, a loved one’s arms wrapped around me, and they felt something unusual: a hard lump, the size of a golf ball, hidden in my right breast,” said Alston. “That hug set me on a journey I never could have imagined. But it also saved my life. I was treated at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where I was given the chance to participate in a clinical trial. That trial wasn’t just about science. It was about hope. It was a lifeline.”
Michael Hu’s call to Congress was even more urgent. As a stage IV cancer patient and ACS CAN volunteer, Hu has recently seen his cancer advance, further metastasizing and causing him to run through the last remaining targeted therapies available. He is holding out hope that his cancer can be kept at bay long enough for him to enroll in a clinical trial.
“Every proposed funding cut feels like a chunk of hope being yanked from my grasp,” said Hu.
The impact of the proposed cuts will extend beyond patient lives and health outcomes to the local and state economy. In the Commonwealth in Fiscal Year 2024, researchers were awarded funding of over $2 billion from NIH and $319 million from NCI, translating to 21,740 jobs and $5.31 billion in economic activity.
As a researcher and industry expert, Dr. Anthonise Fields expanded on what cuts might mean for the greater research ecosystem.
“Cutting research funding would be devastating to our state’s economy. It would stall discoveries, shrink prevention and screening advances and threaten clinical trials that patients depend on. Worse still, it would erode our nation’s global leadership in biomedical research,” said Dr. Fields, who serves as the CEO of E3 NexHealth. “The world is watching. Other countries are ready to fill the void if the United States retreats on cancer research funding. If we give up ground, we risk not only patients’ lives but also our competitive edge in science and innovation.”
Dr. Kurt Weiss, an adolescent osteosarcoma survivor who went on to become a NIH-funded researcher and surgeon at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at the University of Pittsburgh, added that cuts would dismantle a critical pathway for educating the next generation of scientists.
Dr. Weiss said, “Cancer research saved my life. When we thought I’d reached the end of the line in my fight with a very rare and aggressive bone cancer, I was accepted into a clinical trial. And, years later, I got my first NIH grant to study the disease that almost took my life. I am still cancer-free today and grateful that I got the chance to plug into this pipeline of discoveries and contribute to breakthroughs that advance the fight against cancer.”
He continued, “For early-career researchers, receiving NIH or NCI funding is more than a financial boost; it’s a vote of confidence, a signal that their ideas have real promise and that the nation believes in their potential. Without sustained federal investment, many of our most promising researchers will find themselves lacking that endorsement and options for their next step.”
The advocates’ calls will grow increasingly urgent as the September 30th Congressional funding deadline nears. The coalition urging Congress to preserve progress in the fight against cancer will only continue to grow in the meantime.
The organizers of Philadelphia Science Action were present today and shared, “Philadelphia Science Action is honored to partner with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in standing up for the health of our communities. It is critical that the public—and our elected officials in particular—understand the devastating impact these funding cuts will have. This is not only a threat to public health, but also to the economic vitality of our region, which has long been a national leader in research, innovation, and world-class cancer and medical care.”
The support for cancer research funding extends beyond the medical and scientific community. Reverend Miles of Enon Tabernacle Church was in attendance to remind Pennsylvanians of why this issue matters for everyone and how every Pennsylvanian has a responsibility to aid in the fight.
“As a man of faith, I believe we are called to care for our neighbors and uphold their dignity. For those facing a cancer diagnosis, research and breakthroughs in treatment serve as lifelines. That is why funding cancer research is not only a matter of science or economics; it is a moral imperative. We cannot allow any patient to be left without hope,” concluded Rev. Miles.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.
