Pass $2 Billion Federal Bill Now to Fund a Cure for Cancer in 2025-26
Every year, nearly 2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer, and over 600,000 lose their lives. Behind these numbers are families, children, caregivers, and survivors. Today, over 18 million people in the U.S. are cancer survivors. Their lives represent tremendous progress made possible by decades of federally funded research. Now, that progress is at risk.
The proposed FY2026 federal budget includes catastrophic cuts to the agencies that drive cancer research (according to the Association of American Cancer Institutes):
- A 25.2% reduction to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- A 40% cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- A 37.2% overall reduction to the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- A 38.6% cut in research grants
- Nearly 45% less funding for research centers
- A 36% drop in intramural research support
- A 21.8% cut to other essential research
Research projects will be abandoned as grants vanish. Clinical trials for lifesaving therapies will stall or disappear before they can help patients. Young scientists may have no choice but to leave the field entirely, facing a future with no financial support or job security. Moreover, critical programs targeting cancer disparities, pediatric cancers, and rare tumors could be eliminated altogether.
If we allow this funding crisis to continue, we risk falling behind just as science rapidly accelerates. In recent years, we’ve seen major breakthroughs in immunotherapy, early detection methods, and personalized medicine. These innovations offer the promise of more effective treatments and, eventually, a cure. But they require consistent, long-term investment.
This is a critical turning point for public health. A $2 billion investment in cancer research is urgently needed to keep key clinical trials running, support the next generation of scientists, and accelerate the development of lifesaving therapies. This funding will restore momentum to crucial studies that are now in jeopardy. Without it, the cost will be measured in lives lost and progress erased.
“Protecting cancer research is NOT optional. Our lives, and the lives of those we love, depend on it.”
The Stakes are High.
Almost 40% of men and women will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point during their lifetime (NIH), yet the federal government continues to withdraw crucial support for finding a cure. Congress must hear that protecting cancer research is not optional. Our lives, and the lives of those we love, depend on it.
Sign the petition today and make a difference: https://chng.it/dRhh5dnKwy
