    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [September 18, 2002]
    [Pages 1613-1616]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Preventive Cancer Screenings
    September 18, 2002

        The President. Thank you for coming. Please be seated. Gosh, thanks
    for the warm welcome. Welcome to the White House. I'm glad you're here.
        The fight against cancer has seen major victories and is on the
    verge of major breakthroughs. It's important for Americans to
    understand. Medical science is helping cancer victims survive and
    helping survivors lead better lives. With exercise, nutrition, and
    changed behavior, we can reduce the chances of developing cancer. With
    well-funded research, we are pushing toward new cancer therapies and new
    cancer cures. The commitment of this Nation is clear: We will win the
    fight against cancer.
        I appreciate our Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy
    Thompson, for being here and being on the
    leading edge of this fight. He is a general in the war against cancer. I
    want to thank our Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman, who is with us today. Thank you for coming, Annie.

    [[Page 1614]]

        I appreciate the Members of the United States Congress who are here
    today. Two fine Senators, Senators Gregg and
    Brownback, of New Hampshire and Kansas,
    respectively--thank you all for coming--three Members from the House of
    Representatives: Deborah Pryce, Roger
    Wicker, and Sue Myrick. We're honored you all are here. Thanks for coming.
        I'm honored that Andy von Eschenbach is here, who is the Director of the National Cancer
    Institute. Andy, thanks for coming--my fellow Texan. [Laughter] I
    appreciate the Director of the National Institutes of Health, Elias
    Zerhouni, is here. Elias, thanks for
    coming. The Surgeon General is here, Rich Carmona. Rich, I appreciate you being here. Julie
    Gerberding, who is the Director of the
    Centers for Disease Control, is with us as well. Good to meet you.
        I'm honored to be on the stage with some courageous Americans,
    survivors of cancer: Paige Brown, Trischa
    Goldman, Jamal Rasheed, Cynthia Rubin, Matthew
    Skowronski, and, of course, Lance
    Armstrong. Thank you all for coming. I
    appreciate you being here.
        Our progress against cancer is dramatic, and it's improving. We know
    that focused and sustained efforts can make a huge difference, because
    we have seen survival rates rise. Lance Armstrong's inspiring career is striking proof that testicular cancer
    survivors can go on to lead extraordinary lives. Thanks to the advances
    in science, 5-year survival rates for testicular cancer have reached an
    amazing 95 percent. That's progress.
        Overall, more than 60 percent of the Americans diagnosed with cancer
    today can expect to be alive in 5 years. The survival rate for children
    after 10 years is approaching 70 percent. Today, 8.9 million Americans
    are cancer survivors. And research and new technology offer hope, offer
    a lot of hope that this number will continue to grow significantly.
    Every life, every name, is a triumph of medicine and a triumph of hope.
        Given the statistics, the good news about cancer survivors also
    presents a real challenge to our country. Cancer survivors need high-
    quality followup care to detect early signs of recurrence and to treat
    other problems that come from the illness and its treatment. For
    example, many childhood cancer survivors do not receive any followup
    care after being treated and cured. Because cancer treatments can harm
    growing tissues, children are particularly vulnerable to recurrences and
    complications.
        The National Cancer Institute, under Andy's lead, is committed to
    improving the long-term care for all survivors of cancer and especially
    for our children. NCI-funded scientists are exploring new ways to
    enhance high-quality, followup care.
        We must also accelerate our progress against cancer itself. Despite
    all our gains, the disease continues to take a terrible toll on our
    country. Despite all the progress, there are some startling statistics
    that break my heart. More than 1,500 Americans die from cancer every
    day. Three out of every four American families will have at least one
    family member diagnosed with cancer. Scientists, health care providers,
    and public health professionals are working tirelessly to find cures for
    this disease, and they need our full--full support.
        My 2003 budget would increase funding for cancer research by $629
    million, for a total investment in cancer research throughout the
    National Institutes of Health of more than $5 billion. In order to win
    the war against cancer, we must fund the war against cancer. And I
    appreciate the Members of Congress here, who are committed to making
    sure this budget gets--gets enacted, soon. [Laughter]
        Prevention is critical. And we're just beginning to make progress on
    cancer prevention. There are smart choices all Americans can make to
    reduce our chances of disease, choices we're promoting in our

    [[Page 1615]]

    HealthierUS Initiative. Even modest improvements in diet, in fitness,
    and behavior can help prevent many serious health problems, including
    cancer.
        There's a growing body of evidence that a diet rich in fruits and
    vegetables reduces the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. In
    fact, it's been estimated that dietary changes could reduce cancer
    deaths in the United States by a third. I'm going to start eating
    broccoli. [Laughter] I want to be a part of the third. [Laughter]
        Regular exercise is another way to prevent illness and add years to
    your life. Last June, I signed an Executive order directing Federal
    agencies to work together to develop new policies to promote fitness. I
    reconstituted the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. I
    named Lynn Swann to head the Council. Exercise is
    a really important part of my life, and I urge all Americans to make it
    an important part of your life as well.
        Of course, when it comes to behavior, there are healthy choices we
    can all make--like, don't smoke--in addition to a nutritious diet,
    regular exercise, and smart choices. Preventative health screenings can
    also help save lives. They can detect many forms of cancer at earlier,
    less dangerous stages, allowing doctors to defeat a cancer before it
    spreads.
        Last month, Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman learned that she has breast cancer. This is one of the
    hardest things a woman can hear from her doctor and one of the toughest
    challenges any family will face, including the White House family.
    Fortunately, Secretary Veneman's cancer was diagnosed at a very early
    and curable stage. The good news is, her doctors expect her to enjoy a
    full recovery.
        I checked with her in the Oval Office before
    coming over here, just to make sure she's going to show up for work.
    [Laughter] The good news for me is, she is going to carry out her
    responsibilities during her treatment. I appreciate her courage. I'm
    really proud of her. Our prayers are with her. I'm proud of the example
    she sets. She is--I knew I picked an extraordinary person when I named
    her to run--the Secretary of Agriculture. I didn't realize I was going
    to pick an heroic figure as well, an example for many people, to
    understand the need to--the need to get a mammogram, the need to take
    care of yourself, the need to screen early, the need to understand that
    we can stop cancer in its tracks if we all take wise moves. And so, Ann,
    thank you for your example.
        I've tried to do the same thing myself. Earlier this year, to detect
    whether or not I could be infected with colorectal cancer, I had a
    screening. Turns out everything the President does is in the public
    view. [Laughter]
        Screenings can save lives, and that's important. None of us are
    immune. All of us can be wise about how we take advantage of
    technologies. I want not only to make Americans aware of screenings, but
    scientists are now actively investigating new ways to make screenings
    better, so we can detect cancer earlier.
        For example, again Andy's outfit, the National Cancer Institute, is
    launching a new clinical trial to study the most effective ways to
    detect lung cancer. Scientists have also developed promising new tests
    that analyses a single drop of blood to detect ovarian cancer in its
    earliest stages, even before symptoms develop. Many women are diagnosed
    with ovarian cancer too late, because the symptoms can easily be
    mistaken for other conditions. This new discovery brings great hope,
    great hope, for overcoming this disease.
        There are still many high medical hurdles that we're going to have
    to clear here in America. But for the first time in human history, we
    can say with certainty, the war on cancer is winnable. And this Nation
    will not quit until our victory is complete.
        And now it's my pleasure to introduce a man who doesn't know the meaning of the word ``quit.'' Just a
    few years ago, he

    [[Page 1616]]

    was diagnosed with cancer. He was weakened by chemotherapy treatments
    and told he had a 50-50 chance of surviving. But he's done more than
    survive. As anybody who knows anything about sports knows, he's
    triumphed. His story, from cancer diagnosis to his fourth straight
    victory in the Tour de France, is one of the great human dramas in
    sports history.
        And today--he asked me not to say it, so I'm going to say it
    anyway--[laughter]--is his 31st birthday. And now, it's my honor to
    present to you a son of Texas, a great American, a wonderful champ,
    Lance Armstrong.

    [At this point, Lance Armstrong made
    brief remarks.]

        The President. Appreciate you, Lance.
        Again, thank you all for coming. We'll all be celebrating
    Lance's birthday in the State Dining Room
    here at the end of the hall. He made a little cake for you. He looks
    forward to you singing ``Happy Birthday'' to him. [Laughter]
        In the meantime, many in this room are involved in this war. I want
    to thank you for your efforts, thank you for your love for your fellow
    Americans.
        May God bless you all, and may God bless America. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also
    included the remarks of Mr. Armstrong. The Office of the Press Secretary
    also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.