Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Suggests Questions for Vice Presidential Debate

Forum Provides Campaigns Opportunity to Address Critical Issues During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

DALLAS, TX (October 2, 2008) – As PBS anchor Gwen Ifill prepares to moderate the sole debate between vice presidential candidates Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Advocacy Alliance suggested Ifill reserve time for an issue that is both timely and critically important to a majority of the electorate – breast cancer.

"Breast cancer touches each of us in some way, and discovering and delivering its cures should be a national priority," said Shelley Fuld Nasso, director of public policy for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance. "Voters deserve to hear how the candidates would address this critical issue – and what better time than the beginning of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month?"

The Komen Advocacy Alliance suggests Ifill pose the following questions:

1. 1. The federal investment in cancer control programs has remained flat over the past five years, resulting in a decline in real dollars. What would your administration do to close the existing gaps in the health care system and ensure every woman has access to timely, high-quality breast health care, including cancer screening and treatment for breast cancer?
2. Economic and social inequalities persist within and across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. What would your administration do to reduce the disparities that exist in health status?
3. What will you do to ensure the U.S. does not lose momentum in biomedical research into chronic diseases, such as cancer, and that new and innovative medical advances quickly make their way from the laboratory benches to patients' besides?
4. What will your administration do to make high-quality health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans?

A nationwide survey commissioned by the Komen Advocacy Alliance earlier this year found that more than 90 percent of voters want the federal government to pay more attention to breast cancer research, screening and early detection and access to quality care for all. A majority of voters (62 percent) believe breast cancer is the most critical health problem facing women today. This is also true among low-income, minority and underserved populations surveyed, which are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, Komen has invested $1 billion to fulfill its promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. To continue this progress, Komen for the Cure has pledged to invest another $2 billion in the next ten years.

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Advocacy Alliance is a sister organization to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, and is a voice for change on Capitol Hill, in state legislatures and on the campaign trail. With the help of nearly 200,000 Komen Champions and Komen's network of 122 domestic affiliates, we are aggressively seeking increased funding for research and greater access to screening and treatment. The Komen Advocacy Alliance engages policymakers and leaders at all levels of government to advocate for an increased investment in breast cancer research and greater access to breast health services.