Surviving Cancer
Less than a week after the emotional announcement by Elizabeth Edwards that her breast cancer had returned and spread to surrounding bones, the White House told reporters yesterday that Press Secretary Tony Snow, too, has suffered a recurrence of cancer and the disease has spread to his liver. Snow previously had his colon removed in 2005 and underwent six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer. Just last week, Snow offered his heart-felt sympathies for Mrs. Edwards, who probably faces chemotherapy for the rest of her life. "As somebody who has been through this, Elizabeth Edwards is setting a powerful example for a lot of people, and a good and positive one," Snow said, noting her vigilance in checking up on her condition. Upon hearing of Snow's recurrence, John and Elizabeth Edwards called him to express their support and concern. "I think we disagree on so many things across this country, and instead of starting with the things we disagree on, maybe it's a useful dialogue to start with the things that we do agree on," Elizabeth Edwards told The Progress Report this weekend at a health care forum in Las Vegas. "And health care, for example...is one of those things. We all agree that we all should have good health care and we want good health for everybody regardless of their political persuasion." Our thoughts and prayers with Snow and Edwards, their respective families, and the more than 10 million Americans who live with cancer each day. "When VIPs get terribly sick, the hope is that their illness will inspire others to take the steps necessary to protect their own health." But the health care system in the U.S. poses significant barriers for the sick to overcome in order to receive proper care.
ACCESS TO TREATMENT: Snow is ensured the best treatment, at a hospital he wished not to disclose. "Tony Snow is paid the salary that he's paid, and he has health insurance," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "And I'm sure he's taken care of that way." Elizabeth Edwards said, "You know, is this a hardship for us? Yes, it's yet another hurdle. But I've seen people who are in real desperate shape who don't, first of all, have the wonderful support that I have, and have no place to turn." Nearly 45 million Americans who lack health insurance would not be nearly as fortunate to have similar access to treatment as Edwards or Snow. The truth is, "if you come down with cancer, you had better have health insurance. Otherwise, prepare to go bankrupt or die. ... Anyone who is middle class and uninsured is in big trouble." Three out of every four families will help care for a family member with cancer. Middle-income families are oftentimes forced to sell their homes to purchase treatment, leaving them desperate and deep in debt. The costs of cancer treatment have become prohibitively high for many Americans. Even Wall Street analysts now acknowledge soaring cancer-drug prices are not sustainable. "Last month, Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, introduced a bill to make it easier for generic versions of biotech drugs to come to market after patents expire, aiming to lower prices
FOCUSING ON PREVENTION: Noting the importance of prevention, Tony Snow said last week, "Elizabeth Edwards is setting a powerful example for a lot of people, and a good and positive one. She has been on top of diagnosis and follow-up. When you have cancer it's very important to keep checking." Cancer is generally more curable when detected early, "meaning those with good insurance and the means -- not just money but the time and education -- to develop a good doctor relationship are more likely to get that early testing." About 70 percent of deaths and costs in the U.S. are attributable to chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer – diseases that can be prevented or controlled. But most people neither know what treatment they need nor value prevention. As a nation, we dedicate only three percent of our health dollars on health promotion – but over 20 percent of costs to the last year of life. On top of that, "there are still significant gender and racial gaps in screening uptake" which add to the difficulties in detecting and treating cancer. As part of the overall effort to reform the health system, the Center for American Progress has proposed a Wellness Trust. The Wellness Trust would deliver prevention outside of the bounds of the health system and pool financing to create incentives for providers, employers, schools, and individuals to prioritize prevention. "Anyone who does not talk about [disease prevention] and put it front and center is going to be neglecting one of the most important issues not only of our culture...but clearly for our time," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R).
FEDERAL FUND RESTRICTIONS: President Bush's proposed fiscal '08 budget includes a decline of 0.2 percent, or $9 million, in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) budget, to $4.78 billion. Last year, Bush also proposed a cut of 0.8 percent ($39.5 million) in the NCI budget. USA Today noted at the time, "This would come a year after a $31 million cut in the NCI's budget, and it would mark the first consecutive years of decreased funding since 1981 and '82, the institute says." NCI officials are now fretting over further financial constraints. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that "the 10 federally funded cancer cooperative groups, which enroll nearly half of the patients in the nation who are participating in cancer trials, have begun to shut down trials and stop studying certain cancers amid funding concerns. Robert L. Comis, president and chairman of the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, a nonprofit group comprising cancer centers, hospitals and patient- advocacy groups that work to increase participation in clinical trials, said 3,000 patient spots in clinical trials will be eliminated in 2007 at centers around the U.S."
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