    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [October 27, 1996]
    [Pages 1939-1940]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1939]]

    Remarks Announcing Anticancer Initiatives
    October 27, 1996

        The President. Thank you so much. Thank you. First of all, thank you
    all for joining me on this beautiful, beautiful Sunday afternoon to
    discuss our common efforts to fight cancer.
        I want to thank Secretary Shalala and Dr. Susan Blumenthal for their
    tireless service on behalf of women throughout America. I thank Dr.
    Harold Varmus, the Director of the National Institutes of Health; Dr.
    Richard Klausner, the Director of the National Cancer Institute; and Dr.
    Stephen Joseph, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health. They have
    all been instrumental in the efforts we are here to talk about today.
        And thank you, Jane Reese-Coulbourne, for your courage, your
    dedication, your willingness to come up here and make a public statement
    today that represents the feelings, the convictions, the interests, and
    the hopes of millions and millions of people throughout the United
    States. Let me thank all the survivors and advocates who are here today
    and who fight the battle against cancer every day for all the rest of
    us.
        Our Nation is only as strong as our families are healthy. I have
    devoted a lot of time and thought to the question of what we need to do
    to help strong families survive and thrive and increase as we move into
    the 21st century. We have to help more people succeed at home and at
    work. But clearly, we have to help people live as long and as well as
    they can and then help families have the support they need when their
    family members are ill. That's why I was glad to sign the Kennedy-
    Kassebaum bill to preserve health insurance options for people when a
    family member has been sick; why I was proud to sign the bill that bans
    insurance companies from forcing mothers and their newborn babies out of
    the hospital after 24 hours; why in our new balanced budget there are
    funds for more regular mammograms for women on Medicare and funds to
    give respite care for families who are caring for members with
    Alzheimer's.
        We have an enormous opportunity as we stand on the brink of this new
    century to take advantage of scientific possibilities, to help people
    live as long, as well as they can, and to build stronger families in the
    process. Nothing is more devastating to a family's strength than when
    someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease like cancer. As
    Jane said, I know about this from my own family's experience, and nearly
    every family does. This year alone nearly 1.4 million American men,
    women, and children will be diagnosed with some kind of cancer. This is
    the 25th anniversary of the National Cancer Act, and in those 25 years
    we've come a long way in the fight.
        This month is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to remember
    the terrible toll breast cancer has taken, to assess our progress, to
    redouble our efforts to find a cure. That's why I wanted us to come
    together today, to talk about the new steps we are taking in the fight
    against cancer, and breast cancer in particular.
        Since I took office we have mounted a comprehensive campaign to
    prevent and treat cancer. We are working to get tobacco out of our
    children's lives forever. We have accelerated FDA approval of cancer
    drugs and made it easier for patients to obtain promising therapies
    before they are formally approved. The Department of Health and Human
    Services, the Department of Defense, NASA, and the CIA have all joined
    forces to develop cutting edge imaging technology for the early
    detection of cancer.
        Most important of all, as has been said, we've increased spending on
    cancer research, treatment, and prevention by some $400 million. In the
    battle against breast cancer we've increased funding for research and
    prevention by nearly 80 percent since 1993. We launched a public
    awareness campaign to encourage older women to use Medicare to have
    mammograms. And my balanced budget goes even further, as I said. It will
    guarantee free annual mammograms to Medicare beneficiaries, removing all
    financial barriers that prevent some women from obtaining this vitally
    important test.
        We are making progress. The survival rate has gone up. Seven out of
    ten children with cancer survive it; that's up from one out of ten just
    25 years ago. The death rate for breast cancer has gone down every year
    in the last 7, has dropped by nearly 8 percent since 1990. Just last
    week, the NIH announced a milestone

    [[Page 1940]]

    in the human genome project, which is identifying the location and
    function of nearly every human gene. We've now mapped out 20 percent of
    all human genes, and anyone can use that map on the Internet. Soon we
    will know the genes that contribute to cancer and our genetic
    predisposition to inherit it and possibly then be able to prevent it
    before it strikes.
        But as far as we have come, we still have far to go. We must
    continue to build on our progress and strengthen our efforts. Today I
    announced three new steps to bring us closer to a cure and to improve
    the lives of those who do survive.
        First, we know that genetic research may be the key to understanding
    and curing breast cancer. In the last 2 years, scientists have
    discovered two genes that indicate susceptibility to breast cancer. This
    remarkable discovery is giving hope to women everywhere. Last month I
    signed a budget that reflects our values in devoting substantial
    resources to cancer research. Today I'm announcing we are directing $30
    million of that new budget to support and expand breast cancer genetic
    research at hospitals, universities, and labs all across America. This
    step represents a major increase in breast cancer genetic research. It
    will ensure the development of this promising new research and bring us
    that much closer to a cure.
        Second, we must all use the technology and we must use all the
    technology at our disposal to give women the information they need about
    breast cancer. We must unite the forces of the public and private
    sectors to achieve that goal. That's why I'm pleased to announce the
    launch of the new National Action Plan on Breast Cancer website on the
    Internet. This is easily accessible. The website address is right over
    there. It will answer the questions women have about early detection,
    clinical trials, and much more.
        And finally, there's no greater proof of the progress we've made
    than the more than 10 million Americans who have survived cancer. Many
    have special psychological, physical, and health care counseling needs
    that we are only beginning to understand. Some face recurrence of their
    illness. Some can't get health insurance. I'm proud to have passed
    landmark legislation to guarantee that cancer survivors will no longer
    live in fear of losing that health insurance just because they have a
    preexisting condition.
        Today I announced that this Friday, November 1st, the National
    Cancer Institute will open its new Office of Cancer Survivorship. The
    office will support much needed research that will help cancer survivors
    deal with the problems they face even after their cancer is cured. Dr.
    Anna Meadows will be the Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship,
    and I thank her for her willingness to do this ground-breaking service
    on behalf of people with cancer who have survived it all across America.
        These steps help us to put science at the service of our families
    and say we will do whatever it takes to continue the fight until there
    is a cure for cancer. And we will do everything we can to improve the
    lives of those who do survive.
        Just a few moments ago I signed a piece of the Ribbon of Hope. This
    yellow ribbon, which is already over 750 feet long in its entirety, has
    been signed by more than 10,000 cancer survivors around the world. The
    First Lady was the first person to sign the ribbon, and I was honored to
    place my own signature alongside that of so many courageous people. The
    ribbon is a symbol of the hope that sustains people in their struggle
    with cancer. It is also a symbol of the progress we have made and the
    progress still to come in our common fight.
        And now I'd like to present that piece of the Ribbon of Hope that I
    signed to Erin Schraibman, herself a cancer survivor, a very brave young
    girl whom I have very much enjoyed meeting today.
        Thank you, and God bless you all.

    [At this point, the President presented the ribbon to Ms. Schraibman.]

        The President. We're adjourned.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:20 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Jane Reese-Coulbourne, executive
    vice president, National Breast Cancer Coalition. The National Breast
    Cancer Awareness Month proclamation of October 3 is listed in Appendix D
    at the end of this volume.