Today, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27), a member of the House of Representatives Cancer Caucus and vocal advocate on the need to increase federal funding for cancer research and treatment, recognized February 4, 2011 as World Cancer Day, renewing the call to fight the worldwide leading cause of death.

“Any death to cancer is one too many,” said Congressman Higgins.  “Let today be a reminder that we can and must do better to improve access and affordability to cancer treatments.  Moreover, by increasing cancer research funding, we are unleashing economic potential for places like Western New York to produce meaningful, life-changing results, create jobs and lower costs.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.  At the same time the WHO said that up to 40% of all cancer deaths can potentially be avoided with better awareness and prevention. 

Just last week, Higgins called for renewed attention on cancer research which holds the promise of not only improving quality of life but boosting our national economy.  In a speech on the House of Representatives floor, Higgins highlighted the economic impact saying, “An important part of Buffalo and Western New York’s future relies upon the success of research completed at Roswell and companies at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus coming to market, creating new small businesses and high quality jobs.  If we don’t have a sustained investment in cancer research moving forward, the promise of that research, and the jobs it will create, will be lost.” (View full floor speech)

Added Higgins, “Innovative research is happening right now in the fight against cancer such as the Cancer Genome Project, Cancer Genome Atlas and next generation of treatments.  It is my hope that we continue to push these projects forward with the federal support they need so that we can improve the quality of life for those afflicted.”

Congressman Higgins various legislative and advocacy efforts in the area of cancer research and funding are delineated in the timeline below:

For more information on cancer issues, funding and advocacy visit the National Cancer Institute website at www.cancer.gov or the American Cancer Society website at www.cancer.org.