One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. And America's next political leaders can save lives - but only if you let them know that you expect them to make breast cancer a national priority in their platforms and for our country.

Women are dying every day, and common-sense policies could ensure every woman in America - regardless of her income - has access to life-saving early detection. We must invest in translational research, fully fund the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program and ensure all women diagnosed with breast cancer have access to high-quality treatment.

Tell the candidates: We want a plan to end breast cancer forever!

Dear candidate,

I urge you to make breast cancer a priority in your campaign. In 2007 alone, 40,000 women and 450 men will die from breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. For America's 2 million breast cancer survivors and their loved ones, not to mention the millions of Americans who have lost their mothers, grandmothers and sisters to the disease, breast cancer is a critical issue.

Fortunately, there are concrete steps we can take to end this crisis once and for all. Already, better research, screening and treatment have increased survival rates significantly. You have the power to go even further - helping to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

That's why I'm asking you, today, what will you do as a political leader of our nation to make breast cancer - and other cancers - a national priority? How will you ensure that every American has the same chance at surviving breast cancer, regardless of how much money they make or the color of their skin? What will you do to ensure that we do not lose momentum on research and that critical advances in the laboratory reach patients who need them?

We are advocating for three achievable goals that will save lives and help end breast cancer forever: (1) Increase investment in translational research, which is essential to ensuring that scientific discoveries made in the laboratory reach cancer patients as quickly as possible; (2) Provide every low-income, uninsured, and underinsured woman in America access to early detection by fully funding the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program by 2012; and (3) Ensure that all women diagnosed with breast cancer have access to high quality treatment.

[Your comment here]

Thank you for your time and attention. I hope to see you addressing this issue soon.


Sincerely,
[Your name here]