MOONSHOT? THEY’RE NOT RENEWING THE CANCER MOONSHOT INVESTMENTS??? Trump let it lag thru his entire administration (hello, where do you think he “found” all the money for his disastrous economy shifts), but since 2020 the Moonshot initiative has been hooked back up to its research funding lifeline.
To give some additional insight into how insane this is, no matter WHAT party is behind it:
Since 1937, the federal government has led a bipartisan and RIGOROUS effort to eradicate cancer. President Roosevelt takes action to establish the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and this is STILL center of US cancer research. This is the large bucket all the research funding is put in to distribute amongst research + trials.
The NCI has this to say about their establishment in 1937 (emphasis by me):
August 5, 1937—The National Cancer Institute (NCI) was established through the National Cancer Act of 1937, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its passage represented the culmination of nearly three decades of efforts to formalize the U.S. government’s place in cancer research. The act represents the first time that Congress provided funding to address a non-communicable disease. The act created NCI as an independent research institute within the Public Health Service. NCI became the federal government’s principal agency for conducting research and training on the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
NCI was tasked with assisting and promoting cancer research at other public and private institutions, particularly by providing funding opportunities to support promising cancer research. The act established the National Advisory Cancer Council, now known as the National Cancer Advisory Board, which recommended approval of first award for fellowships in cancer research shortly thereafter.
For nearly 90 years, there has been dedicated and earnest federal funding towards cancer research. During this span of time, the leukemia that killed my great grandmother in 8 months at 38 years old can now be treated and SURVIVED. Cancer is not a death sentence PURELY because doctors have spent nearly a century not resting until answers are found. This is not political, this is humanitarian. Our breakthroughs in America are shared internationally and our international peers share back with us. This funding should be beyond reproach as it goes to one of our greatest successes in the international medical community.
The NCI site has this excellent graphic laying out major points in their history:
seriously, click it and see how long it takes to scroll to the end of the history section. You will notice most presidents have tried to make a positive impact somewhere in the NCI, regardless of party. Cancer is not an option for political pissing matches.
Okay, so what is the Cancer Moonshot?
Moonshot is an initiative originally added to the NCI in 2016 that was a BURST of funding, research, and patient trials. This is a thriving research environment as lush as the amazonian rainforest. As VP, Biden led the way clearing a space for the Moonshot - - deeply motivated by the loss of his son to brain cancer. It is clear he has been determined to secure the Moonshot’s place in the NCI permanently in the interest of public health.
Here’s the NCI’s event marker for Moonshot:
January 12, 2016—During his 2016 State of the Union Address, President Obama called on Vice President Biden to lead a new, national “Moonshot” initiative to eliminate cancer as we know it. The goal is to double the rate of progress against cancer, achieving in five years what otherwise would have taken ten. The White House announced a $1 billion initiative to jumpstart this work.
Not only was there a surge in research, but there was a massive acceleration in our understanding of early detection in many cancers. Meaning we started catching it smaller, less invasive, and easier to eradicate (becoming CANCER FREE!!!!!! 🎉). If you wondered why you were hearing so many updates to when to get screened, this is largely the explanation. We started saving more lives!
It is a very robust and multi-faceted piece of our public health system that I am not qualified to speak on in every capacity, so I will leave you with a link to its info page. If you ever feel hopeless about cancer, I recommend looking here to find out how we’ve most recently began kicking its ass. There are some exciting international trials beginning that involve immunotherapy + vaccine-based care 🎉🎉🎉
I know this is a lot to read, but if you don’t want to read my words, then PLEASE consider reading the NCI’s words. There are very few organizations that have such impactful insights into life-saving efforts.
This is worth informing your vote. Turn away from anyone who minimizes how massively important it is to save lives in the present and future. Turn away from anyone who tells you to believe it is an unsolvable, therefore needlessly expensive, problem. And absolutely turn away from anyone who would devalue increased cancer survival rates to politically wound an opponent. That makes them an opponent to you, your family, and anyone impacted by cancer (did you know that’s everyone? You have an important and powerful stance here too!)
