October 28, 2016

Emma LaBruzzy

Dear Future President,

In our world, there are lots of problems. You could make a list as long as the Atlantic coast if you wanted to of every little issue in our world. Some of said issues can be slowed or stopped , but many, sadly, cannot. An issue that affects a great range of people’s health is cancer. Cancer kills a large amount of the population of the world, so you-the president of the United States-need to put more effort, time, and research into reducing the death rates of cancer.

Cancer affects a large percent of people in the world. People we know. People we care about. People we love. Cancer makes them sick and causes pain. “Approximately 39.0 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer of any site at some point during their lifetime”(National Cancer institute). We need to stop cancer in order to save more lives. Cancer develops overtime so, it is not always possible to tell if someone has cancer at birth. That percent may not look that large, but if you compare that to the world population, the number reveals its real value. “Some 7.6 million people died from cancer, accounting for 13% of global deaths – and 2015, it is anticipated that 84 million people will die of cancer” (International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research). That is a huge part of the world dying from just one sickness, one error, one issue with no solution. Some may argue that all cancer cannot be prevented, which is true, but the way cancer is created doesn't compare to the dangerous outcomes cancer creates. Cancer is like a terrible driver speeding on a busy road, they’re bound to hit someone. As the United States, we need to come together to reduce the number affected by the illness that is cancer.

The United States has put a lot of effort and money into cancer research. The scientists are always looking for more and more ways to improve the treatments and cures. What these said scientists should mostly be focusing on is treatments for cancers that don’t have a cure so far. Those cancers are the ones who kill the largest amount of loved ones. In order to decrease the deaths from cancer, our research and knowledge on the sickness needs to expand. For those types of cancers that can be stopped, the procedures are very expensive. The research that found the treatment was costly to fund, which could be one of the reasons why the treatments are so expensive. “The average cost per month of new drugs was about $4,500. Patients typically pay 20 to 30 percent out of pocket for drugs, so an average year's worth of new drugs would cost $24,000 to $36,000 in addition to health insurance premiums” (U.S. News Health Care). Therefore, the treatments are not available to everyone. Imagine this: You’re a poorer family just getting by with several jobs to pay the bills and natural necessities. Then, one of your family members is diagnosed with thyroid cancer. You are unable to pay for the treatment out of pocket so you’ll spend long time in debt with the banks. This is not a great future. Many think the prices are expensive, but will pay for it because they’re saving their loved one, so they do not complain about the prices as much. There are not many ways to decrease the cost of research and funding. The government puts a lot in already. One option could be raising taxes just slightly on some items (within reason). Of course many will probably disagree on the grounds that if we keep putting more and more money and effort into this project, we-the United States- will be doing all the work for other countries, who could be putting in the same amount of resources into their research as we are. What I have to say to that is we could earn back some of our money spent on research by selling parts of the new technology we’d discover to those countries who were too lazy to do research themselves. Overall, the Unites States needs put more effort and time into the cancer project in order to minimize the amount affected greatly.

Another difficulty with cancer is not all types are curable. There are some treatments that can slow down the affects of cancer. This won’t stop the cancer completely, though it can keep the diagnosed person alive a little while longer. Only about “52 percent, or about half, of people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer live for at least five years after diagnosis”(Mayo Clinic). One category of cancer that is difficult to cure is hereditary cancer because there are many different types of cancers that can be passed down. Hereditary cancer is difficult not only to cure, but is difficult to cope with for the families who have it. If the sickness is passed down, then the children of that family will live under the fear of diagnosis because they could die if and when the cancer is diagnosed. Knowing this family history could influence the actions and huge decisions in life, like whether to get married or to have children or not. Another negative to hereditary cancer is most of these hereditary cancers do not have treatments to slow down or stop the illness. Hereditary cancer is a ghost of death you cannot get rid of. Some really religious individuals might say that God has a path intended for all of us and that we shouldn’t mess with this path. If we prevent this “path” from taking someone we love, then these actions should not be looked down upon. So far, the United States has been proactive in the research section, but there are still many types that have no way to slow some or stop. This needs to stop so more people don’t have to live in fear of developing the sickness, dying and leaving their loved ones.

In the United States, problems occur all the time. Economic, political, and even health problems. Our world puts lots of effort and money into solving these problems. Cancer, whether it is from too much radiation, a normal error in the DNA, or it is in your family history, effects lots of people worldwide. The research, treatments and other helpful cancer fighting information help many people who fall sick with this illness, who sometimes cannot be cured. This can lead to the death of people who don't deserve to die, who are so sweet, so kind, so positive. Our country needs to help more in the fight against cancer to save these loving people from leaving.

Sincerely, Emma LaBruzzy

Bibliography

"Oncologists Worry About Rising Costs of Cancer Treatment ..." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.

"Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program." Cancer of Any Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.

Staff, By Mayo Clinic. "Cancer." Survival Rate: A Tool to Understand Your Prognosis. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.

"Cancer in Developing Countries." Http://www.inctr.org/about-inctr/cancer-in-developing-countries/. International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.