This is a cut and paste of the e-mail I just got back from the CDC. My question to them was why did they give $205 million to breast cancer and nothing to lung cancer. I am tired and maybe I am not seeing it, but did they answer that question?
Dear
Thank you for your interest in CDC's lung cancer activities. Your inquiry was forwarded to CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control for response.
Our understanding about the number of people who develop lung cancer and who die from lung cancer each year derives largely from CDC's data and surveillance activities. Specifically:
National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR). CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) and the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, in collaboration with the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, produce the annual United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) Web-based report. CDC's National Center for Health Statistics/National Vital Statistics System provides nationwide cancer death statistics.
Some other CDC activities related to lung cancer from causes other than smoking include:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). CDC's NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness, including lung cancer caused by workplace exposures.
National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registries (ATSDR). ATSDR and CDC's NCEH support environmental health tracking programs and conduct activities to prevent or control exposures and diseases related to the environment. For lung cancer, examples include exposures to asbestos, radon, ionizing radiation, and other cancer-causing substances at home, in the general environment, or from toxic waste sites.
Within the federal government, most lung cancer research is supported through our sister agency, the National Cancer Institute (NCI). For more information, please see NCI Research Priorities at http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/priorities.
For further information on the programs and activities of the CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, please visit our website at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer. You can now subscribe to be alerted by e-mail when our website offers new information on a cancer topic of interest to you. In the top right corner of selected web pages, you will see a link to "Get E-Mail Updates." Click that link, enter your e-mail address, and you will be notified when important new information is posted on our website. You can unsubscribe at any time.
We hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
If no one can find the answer to my question, I plan on replying to this e-mail with something along the lines of"This is all and good, but you gave over $200 million to breast cancer research and nothing to lung cancer research. Why is that?" So please help me out here and see if you can find the answer to my question before I open up a can of whoop ass and come down with both feet. This pisses me off.
Barb
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CDC sent an answer, sort of
- By Barb267
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 9:18 pm · 17 replies
- In What, me worry?
- Shared with the public
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17 replies
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- By Barb267
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 9:26 pm
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I went on the NCI web site and read this, I thought it looked promising. Granted, still haven't found the answer to my question, but....
http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/Lung-Cancer-Integration-and-Implementation-T eam-I2
Barb
- By Marylou1
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 9:52 pm
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Hey Barb:
Yep, that site did look promising because it seems they are looking into some boigenetics. However, I still don't believe they will ever give Lung Cancer the priority it needs especially when they have so many campaigns that start with "save the boobs." I was totally blown away with that one.
All cancer should be funded and none should be discriminated against. Do I think that will happen? No.
A little over a year ago, I lost a good friend to breast cancer. She was younger than me, had cancer twice, and was the most wonderful support I could have had. It breaks my heart because I don't think it's so much about funding for a cure, but the $$ signs in the pharmacology industry and even the Oncologists.
Look at all the TV ads promoting all kinds of medications. TV time is not cheap, but Drugs are big business, and if they can keep us sick and buying, that's their early retirement.
Do I think they answered your question? You got a polite letter saying "Much ado about nothing." They should take their letter and stick it up a rat's ass.
Sorry if I offended anyone. I get a little pissed and hyper on Almond Joys :)
Love to all,
Marylou
- By brooklynda
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Dear Barb: Nope, they didn't answer your question. They just send you the catch-all form letter that illustrates same s**t - different day! Blessings! Brooklynda
- By MajorMike
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 11:13 pm
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Right on - my condolences to the rats.
- By D1
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 12:13 am
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All cancers are terrible. I don't begrudge research money for breast cancer, I am glad about it. I think it is wrong to pit one cancer against another.
But, I agree, they did not address your question....you got a canned answer.
- By HollyJo
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 1:32 am
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There letter was one huge Circle Jerk!
I agree, they can shove that polite "Go away" letter up their A$$!
Sorry, but I am in a Pi$$y Mood as it is! Sorry for my bleeps.
Holly
- By GutsyCheryl
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 4:01 am
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Barb,
I say open up the can of whoop ass ..............
Cheryl
P.S. I really admire your work, as I'm sure everyone on here does. We all appreciate you very much!!
- By merylee
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 5:37 am
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Barb - I'll supply the can opener....
- By cards7up
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 7:16 am
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Barb, I agree, called passing the buck. So take that letter and send it to NCI and see who they pass it on too. Great job as always. Take care, JC
- By dpharr
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 9:27 am
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It sounds to me like typical government BS. Thank you for speaking up for all of us and demanding answers.
Blessings to you.
Dorothy
- By angel888
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 12:48 pm
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Hi Barb and All - why don't we (& family & friends) all send emails to CDC and NHI? Basically emphasizing the numbers, status & impact plus asking them -
1. What are there specific programs on lung cancer?
2. how much is the budget? (note that CDC bundles so we dont get an idea of what specifically is spent for LC. lets ask them to pls unbundle. ask them to write in plain understandable English not the bureaucrat/dilbert kind of speak)
3. what have they actually achieved?
4. how do these achievements compare with - say 5 or 10 yrs ago?
Barb is in the right track. Even if we get shitty replies,the bureaucracy works when pressured. Letters they receive are used to create/ justify projects. So lets help push papers. copy furnish your legislator. At least that's a start?
Making some noise!
Angel
- By Barb267
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 3:12 pm
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I loved JC idea of sending a copy of the letter to NCI, so I did. I will keep it short:
I sent the following e-mail to the CDC:
(e-mail here)
This was their reply:
(e-mail here)
If I read their reply correctly, it states that you are who I need to contact to get my answer. So, my question is how much did you give to lung cancer research in 2009? I don't want to hear about how much was spent on "quit smoking" adds and education, as that does not help the people that don't smoke and still gets lung cancer. I want to know the dollar amount that was spent/given to lung cancer research in hopes of finding a cure, not the cause.
Thank you,
blah, blah, blah
I will let you know what bs they try to pass off as an answer.
Blessings,
Barb
- By Louie-H
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 4:31 pm
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Barb
I really like your spunk- go for it Barb. You know the old saying "The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil" well, I'm close to 80 Years old and it has never been any different way back then or now. I really respect what you are doing.
Louie
- By misself
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 4:39 pm
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Actually,I cliked on the Nci address in the letter you got.It lists several years of funding.When you click on funding by types of cancers(#3) you will notice Breast cancer got over 4000 whatevers.Lung cancer got in the 200s and last year was less than other years.They claimed Nci was the sister agency that funded things so no I would say they didn't address your question.I do think in your reply that I would cite the chart I refer to.Roughly I think Nci gives 1/10 th to lung cancer compared to the breast cancer but I am terrible at percentages.I think we need JC, Gwypalski(sp?) with apologies to check this.Anyway if they are depending on Nci tell them they should read their charts.Get Them Tiger!!!!!!AndiB
- By Barb267
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 6:12 pm
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I wish you wouldn't have found that, now I am doubly pissed. I know that breast cancer sucks and it takes lives also, but why is it every other fricking agency pet project? Why do they get all the flipping money?
When they reply, I will ask them that question. Granted I will clean it up a bit, but I will let them know how "angry" it makes us.
Oooooo, that gives me another idea for some more letters.......Thats a good thing. Now I'm happy.
Barb
- By Barb267
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 7:33 pm
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I did it!!! I sent a letter to both the DOD and NIH, this is a copy of the NIH letter. I just changed the name and numbers for the DOD:
Why did the NIH give $748 million to breast cancer research and only $179 million to lung cancer research? Did you know that for each woman that dies from breast cancer, over $2,700 has been spent in research, but for every person that dies of lung cancer, less than $1,300 has been spent. Over 160,000 people will die this year from lung cancer, thats over 450 per day. Lung cancer has a survival rate of less than 15% at 5 years, breast cancer is 89%. There is also early detection methods (self exam, mammograms) for breast cancer, yet lung cancer is found mostly by accident and by then it is too late. There isn't even routine screening for people that are at risk for lung cancer. Most people will die within the first year because of that. And just one last thing, over 65% of people who are diagnosed with lung cancer didn't smoke. So wouldn't it be prudent to give more funding to lung cancer research? No one deserves cancer, any cancer.
I always sign my letters with my name, address and phone number. Even my e-mails.
Barb
- By bayrealtor
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 7:56 pm
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Many women do not know how fast lung cancer is gaining ground and taking lives. More research dollars will only come when people demand it and to date.....well, you see the results.
Things are better as far as $ for lung cancer but the simple fact remains......PEOPLE DON'T KNOW what a killer it is and how underfunded it is. I wrote to Safeway and sent them data on lung cancer and asked them to ask for donations at their cashiers like they are doing now for breast cancer and never got an answer. It will take MANY, MANY of us to get one company to support in getting $ for lung cancer research so never give up. Let them continue to slam the door in the face of many. I have also asked cancer grace and the good Dr. West to give me ideas as to how and what to do....you all can go there and see his response. The doctors need to get the word out as well and they seem SILENT.
God bless all,
Bill & Cathy
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