[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S10444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           THE MARCH . . . COMING TOGETHER TO CONQUER CANCER

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask that the following joint 
statement of myself and my colleague from Michigan, Senator Spencer 
Abraham, be printed in the Record.
  The joint statement follows:

Joint Statement of Senator Levin and Senator Abraham in Recognition of 
           The March . . . Coming Together to Conquer Cancer

       Mr. President, we are pleased to join today in recognition 
     of the hundreds of thousands of people gathering here in 
     Washington and in every state in the country on Saturday, 
     September 26, 1998 for The March . . . Coming Together to 
     Conquer Cancer.
       Statistics tell us that cancer will affect the lives of 
     virtually every American. According to the American Cancer 
     Society, American men have a 1-in-2 lifetime risk of 
     developing cancer, and American women have a 1-in-3 lifetime 
     risk. It is estimated that more than 1.2 million new cancer 
     cases will be diagnosed this year, and cancer kills Americans 
     at a rate of more than 1,500 per day. In our state of 
     Michigan, cancer is the second leading cause of death for all 
     people, and is the leading cause of death for people between 
     the ages of 35 and 49. In 1995, cancer took the lives of 
     nearly 20,000 Michigan residents. What statistics cannot show 
     us are the real people behind the numbers whose lives have 
     been forever changed by cancer. They are parents and 
     children, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends 
     and colleagues. They are counting on us, and on policymakers 
     at all levels, to renew our commitment to the effort to 
     develop a cure for this deadly disease.
       We are proud that our home state of Michigan is a national 
     leader of The March and in cancer research and treatment. The 
     Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of the premier cancer 
     treatment facilities in the country, is coordinating 
     Michigan's March-related activities. The Michigan March will 
     be held in Lansing to coincide with The March in Washington 
     on September 26th. A steering committee, coordinated by the 
     Karmanos Cancer Institute, is working hard to ensure that 
     people from every corner of Michigan participate in The March 
     in Lansing. Organizers are expecting 10,000 people in Lansing 
     on September 26th, including cancer survivors, friends and 
     family of survivors and of those who have lost their lives to 
     cancer, health care professionals, government leaders, and 
     many others. We know that even though they will be divided by 
     geography, the 10,000 people in Lansing will feel a sense of 
     unity with the hundreds of thousands of others gathering in 
     cities throughout the country for a common purpose.
       Mr. President, we have all been touched by cancer in one 
     way or another. We all have friends, family, or loved ones 
     who have been its victims. The March will give a voice to 
     those whose voices have been silenced by cancer, and it will 
     serve as a call to action in the war against this deadly 
     disease. We are pleased to stand with those participating in 
     The March in Lansing and in Washington, and encourage our 
     colleagues to join us in expressing our profound respect and 
     gratitude to The March participants for their courageous 
     action.

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