Columbia, SC — I am a two-time cancer survivor, and Friday looms large on my mind. Under budget sequestration, prevention, public health and funding for cancer research and other medical research supported by the National Institutes of Health would be cut. If it’s not turned off, the fight against cancer would be dealt a major setback.

Past congressional support for cancer research has contributed to the overall reduction in cancer incidence and mortality and an improved quality of life for survivors, since the 1990s. Sustained funding in the fight against cancer is critical to achieving long-term and permanent success.

Cancer prevention and early detection are as important as research. Sequestration will be devastating; it would force the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut support for every state and leave Americans with fewer life-saving cancer screenings and increased health-care costs in the long run.

Tell your officials to turn off sequestration. We need to work together across the country to end suffering and death from cancer.

Lynn Rearden

Volunteer, S.C. Lead Ambassador

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Edgefield