Congress has approved a $2 billion increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health. The 6.6 percent hike -- to $32.1 billion -- is the largest increase in 12 years and it will make an enormous difference in supporting cancer research in the years ahead.
The bill includes a $264 million increase in funding for the National Cancer Institute (boosting NCI funding for the year to $5.2 billion – a 5.3% increase) as well as $200 million in funding for a precision medicine initiative dedicated to accelerating the design and testing of effective, tailored treatments for cancer.
Survivorship Series: A California mom talks about how she learned to rest, relax and renew
Do you feel stuck in your world of cancer? I used to.
Now, in my author bio, I usually list myself as a writer, mommy, yogini, daughter, editor, sister, and napper extraordinaire. Notice how I skipped over that I’m in remission from leukemia? I’m not lying by omission, it’s just not a big deal to who I am because I’ve moved beyond cancer as my identity. And you can, too.
Think of yourself as a “recoverer” from cancer. The more you positively believe you are recovering, the better you will feel about the situation.
Whether you’re in the middle of treatments or a couple of years out from diagnosis, don’t let blood cancer be the sole focus of your life. Remember you are a recoverer, not a victim or someone doing battle with your own body.
LLS CEO and President Louis J. DeGennaro speaks out about coming off a “phenomenal” year and what we can look forward to in 2016. He shares his optimism about a future with no chemotherapy, the use of the word “cure,” the increasing promise of immunotherapy, and the potential of having hundreds of compounds in development.
Six top topics that will be important for blood cancer patients and families:
Precision Medicine. We’re continuing the track toward precision medicine, which means “the right treatment for the right person at the right time.” People may actually be able to forego toxic chemotherapy and instead benefit from targeted drugs prescribed based on one’s individual genetic make-up in the not-too-distant future. This is the goal of LLS’s groundbreaking BEAT AML initiative, which you’ll be hearing more about in coming months.
Cures. At the recent American Society of Hematology meeting, where leading researchers shared their most recent advances, it was very encouraging to hear experts using a four-letter word when it comes to blood cancers -- “cure”! That was a word people shied away from for years but now we are starting to see it as a real possibility for many diseases.
