LETTER: Hall supports new federal cancer funding

To the editor:

As an American Cancer Society Legislative Ambassador, I am familiar with the work of ACS CAN: the cancer action network.  ACS CAN is the nation’s leading cancer advocacy organization that is working every day to make cancer issues a national priority. 

A valuable tool used to educate the community is the 2010 ACS CAN Voter Guide for the 19th Congressional District (http://acscan.org/voterguide/view/race/NY:us.h:19:f).

Both candidates for Congress answered the three questions and disagreed on all three. It is important that people know that Congressman John Hall answered positively and agreed with the positions of ACS CAN in the fight against cancer. His challenger, Nan Hayworth, answered in the negative and disagreed with ACS CAN on every issue.

Congressman Hall agrees with ACS CAN that we need more funding for science and medical research in the fight against cancer. Hayworth does not.

Congressman Hall said he would “continue to support legislation to prevent children from smoking, and to increase access to cessation services.” While Hayworth said “The allure of smoking is not a government problem, but rather a cultural problem” and “To save children from smoking, no amount of tax revenue can take the place of caring parents..” ACS CAN agrees with Hall. More than 400,000 Americans die from tobacco-related causes every year and we can prevent many of these deaths if we increase access to cessation services.

Most importantly, Congressman John Hall supports implementation of the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a way that will ensure that cancer patients and survivors have full access to adequate and affordable health care coverage. Improvements in access to quality, affordable care would lower cancer rates and improve prevention and early detection of cancer.  Shockingly, as a doctor, Hayworth does not support the Act.

Cancer kills more than 560,000 Americans and costs the economy more than $228 billion every year. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network recognizes that Congressman John Hall would be a partner in this fight – Nan Hayworth would not.

Darren Rigger, Peekskill

American Cancer Society Legislative Ambassador