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LANCE CHALLENGES NATION IN NEWSWEEK OP-ED: "WE HAVE TO BE RUTHLESS"
Closing the gap between what we know and what we do about cancer
"Trust me when I say that I'm not complaining about the attention cancer is finally getting in the media. But I don't understand why it requires two very upsetting announcements about cancer recurrence to prompt a national discussion about our nation's second leading killer." Read More
Read Lance's blog about the Newsweek cover and articles
LANCE ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON HIS PERSONAL AND POLITICAL FIGHT AGAINST CANCER IN LIVE ONLINE NEWSWEEK CHAT
Wednesday, April 4, Lance Armstrong took questions during a Newsweek Live Talk on his personal and political fight against cancer. Here is what Lance had to say:
Denver, CO: How can we convince our government that more money needs to be spent on cancer research?
Lance Armstrong: Vote. That's the key. Cancer is not a ballot box issue. But it should be. It's easy for a lawmaker to say they care about cancer. But I'm more interested in how they vote on the House or Senate floor when cancer funding or cancer programs are at stake - and frankly I'm disappointed. Cancer funding has been cut for the first time in 30 years. Unacceptable. Voters are responsible for putting in office people who care about the health of our citizens. Then, we have to pay attention and hold them accountable.
Chicago, IL: What is the most important thing that Americans don't know (but need to know) about the struggle to get sufficient cancer research funding?
Lance Armstrong: I think most of us have little comprehension of the size of the federal budget and the diversity of programs that money gets directed to. And, when you consider that cancer takes 1,500 lives every day, it is surprising to me that cancer doesn't get a lot more money relative to other programs. I often say that it is like having another September 11th every two days. But unlike that tragedy - which was a terrible and awful shock - we can predict these cancer deaths. We know for sure it's coming. And we are not doing enough to stop it.
The reality is we have to have government money and leadership. I get asked all the time why we can't just fund this privately. Well, we need that money, too, but the federal government and its funding process are disproportionately powerful in deciding what gets studied and who gets money. For better or worse, the government is the most powerful player in deciding the fate of basic science and in the pace of discovery. There is not a lot we can do about that right now - except ensure that the voices of cancer survivors are heard when our leaders are deciding how to distribute and dedicate that money.
Arlington, VA: What pressure do you feel legislators need to place on insurance companies to cover preventive medicine (i.e., screenings, preventive care)? And besides putting their money where their mouths are, what else do you think lawmakers can do to champion the cause of prevention and early detection?
Lance Armstrong: At the federal level our lawmakers need to restore funding to programs that provide screening to people who wouldn't otherwise get it - because of income constraints or geographic distance or because in some communities the effectiveness of early screening is not well-communicated or understood. Early detection saves lives. It's a simple as that. We know how to look for some cancers early and we know what to do about them. So why aren't we? Shouldn't all Americans benefit from what we know? We could prevent maybe 1/3 of all cancer deaths if we just widely distributed knowledge and services.
Read Lance's live talk about his personal and political fight against cancer
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