More than 37,000 Americans will be diagnosed this year with pancreatic cancer. Around 75 percent of those diagnosed will die of their disease. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, yet one of the most underfunded for research.

Only one percent of the National Cancer Institute research investment money was spend on pancreatic cancer in 2006. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) are calling on Congress to support a minimum of 6.7 percent increase to meet this urgent need.

Julie Fleshman, PanCAN President and CEO, says "The need for more research is tremendous and our voices must be heard. No effective early detection methods currently exist and there are minimal treatment options available. And very little research being done due to limited research funding".

California Democratic Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, subject of an April 20 post, died of cancer early Sunday. She was 68.

"Juanita Millender-McDonald was a trailblazer, always advocating for the full participation of all Americans in the success and prosperity of our country," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The dignity with which she faced her illness was an indication of the determination with which she always served the people of her district."

Millender-McDonald, a native of Birmingham, Alabama who served a district including Compton, Long Beach, and parts of Los Angeles, is the second member of Congress to die this year of cancer. Republican Rep. Charles Norwood Jr. of Georgia died in February after his battle with both cancer and lung disease.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has 14 days to set a date for a special election to fill Millender-McDonald's seat.

The congresswoman is survived by her husband, James McDonald, Jr., and five adult children.

Breast cancer survivor and Grammy- winning rock star Sheryl Crow was on Capital Hill last week where she urged Congress to pass a bill that would provide funds for research into the possible connection between breast cancer and the environment.

The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act -- predicted to pass, by the way -- would allocate $40 million for study into an area not receiving much attention.

"We're looking into all these different scientific methods, with gene therapy with stem cells, it's all very encouraging but we have not tapped into the area of the environment," Crow says. "We have to look at the environment, we cannot ignore it anymore."

This same bill was defeated last year in the Senate but Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says that was then, this is now.

"We're going to complete this legislation in the Senate this year," he said.

President Bush, in a recent press release, declared April Cancer Control Month. It's a month for educating Americans about cancer, for raising awareness about treatments, for renewing the commitment to fighting this deadly disease.

Bush makes no mention in his release of the millions he just cut from the National Cancer Institute budget and how this might hinder this month's initiative, but he does offer a few relatively inexpensive ideas for individuals who wish to minimize their risk of developing the disease that remains the country's second leading cause of death.

"Individuals can reduce their risk of developing cancer by practicing healthy eating habits, exercising, limiting sun exposure, avoiding tobacco, knowing their family history, and getting regular screenings from the doctor," he writes.

Bush goes on to honor those lost to cancer and commends the strength of the 10 million people in the United States surviving the disease. He extends his gratitude for medical professionals, researchers, family members, and friends who support cancer patients. And he closes with a little history -- and his very own proclamation.

"In 1938, the Congress of the United States passed a joint resolution (52 Stat. 148; 36 U.S.C. 103) as amended, requesting the President to issue an annual proclamation declaring April as 'Cancer Control Month.'

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2007 as Cancer Control Month. I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness about the steps Americans can take to prevent and control cancer.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first."

GEORGE W. BUSH

Within Our Grasp, Or Slipping Away? Assuring a New Era of Scientific and Medical Progress is a twenty one page report written by Johns Hopkins University and seven other institutions.

These institutions petitioned Congress not to let biomedical research funding stagnate. The scientists say that funding for cancer, Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injury research is not keeping up with the times.

The scientists argued years of stagnant budgets for the National Institute of Health interrupted promising research and drove young investigators into other careers.

"Warning bells should be sounding loudly in Congress and among the public, " said Edward Miller, Hopkins dean and CEO. "The world's premier biomedical research engine is at risk"

Currently, eight of ten research grant applications are going unfunded, according to the report and principal investigators are spending more time raising funds instead of conducting research.

On February 5, the President cut about $11 billion from the National Cancer Institute budget. On March 20, one group -- the Colorectal Cancer Coalition or C3 -- will ask Congress to return some of this money.

Colorectal cancer advocates from all over the country will descend upon Washington DC on this day, in honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Their plan of action on behalf of C3's first-ever Call-On Congress includes meeting with members of Congress face to face, discussing cancer research and prevention funding, and informing these powerful people that the time to cure cancer is now.

These advocates have a lot to accomplish -- and they need your help. So they ask that while they are rallying in DC that you lend your support with a few simple phone calls.

On Tuesday, March 20, between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, pick up your phone and call two Senators and one Representative. Tell them now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of the cancer cause.

C3 offers a step-by-step guide for making yourself heard. The group will help you locate your specific legislators and provides a script for what to say and how to say it.

"The more people who call on March 20th and ask for Congress to make funding the war on cancer a priority, the better for us all," says one advocate.

In 1971, when it was evident cancer deaths were rising, President Nixon and Congress declared a war on cancer. Finally, after 35 years, it seems we are winning the war.

Experts say the absolute decline in cancer deaths is quite amazing -- because our population is both growing and aging, both of which could contribute to an increased cancer death rate. But prevention, early detection, and early treatment are working wonders and are saving lives for three of the most common cancers -- breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. More and more men are also surviving lung cancer due to cessation of smoking more than 20 years ago. The female lung cancer death rate is not declining, however, due to continued high rates of smoking.

The highest drop in deaths among the major cancers was for colorectal cancer -- thanks to effective screening methods. Deaths dropped by 1,110 for men and 1,094 for women.

According to an American Cancer Society review of U.S. death certificates, cancer deaths declined by 369 between the years 2002 and 2003. Between 2003 to 2004, the decrease was 3,014 -- more than eight times greater.

Experts predict cancer deaths will continue to decline over the years -- although some expect the obesity epidemic, which increases risk for all cancers, to pop the cancer death rate back up in the long run.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is introducing a new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live with the Healthy Americans Act.

"The Healthy Americans Act provides a guarantee -- health coverage for every American that is at least as good as Members of Congress receive and can never be taken away," Wyden explained. "The Act provides universal coverage for no more money than our country spends today. Better care, financial health and security, no increase in costs."

The plan outlines an approach to success by eliminating inefficiency, trips to the emergency room and incentives for prevention and wellness as the primary focus of health care. In addition, the plan provides tough cost containment and saves $1.48 trillion over ten years; and is fully paid for by spending the $2.2 trillion currently spent on health care in America.

"We're here because it is time to fix health care," Wyden added. "After decades of talk and study, it's time for action. Fixing health care is not as complicated as one might think."

Basically, every American will have access to the same opportunity and level of health care coverage that the members of Congress enjoy now. The full text of the 166-page Healthy Americans Act is available as a PDF document.

Singer and songwriter Jewel sat down with ABC News This Week's George Stephanopoulos to discuss her support of a bill that will allow women to stay in the hospital at least 48 hours after a mastectomy. Called drive-thru mastectomies, the current practice of discharging women hours after surgery does not allow women sufficient time to heal before being released from the hospital.

During the interview Jewel placed the blame on insurance companies and HMOs who have decided that a mastectomy is not major surgery but an outpatient procedure. You have got to be kidding me, what an absurdity.

As Jewel stated, "This certainly isn't a merely feminist issue. This is about the care of our loved ones."

I don't see it as much a feminist issue as simply a matter of compassionate, and in this case, safe health care of mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters. The obnoxious practice of bean counters to decide that any major surgery is an outpatient procedure to save on health care expenses has been going on far too long.

Jewel will travel to Washington to help deliver 12 million signatures to Congress to support a health care bill that requires insurance companies and HMOs to cover the cost of proper care for women undergoing mastectomy. The VOICES: Jewel Lobbies for Breast Cancer Bill interview is available as video for viewing online.

Health care coverage for working Americans is like a brittle tree in a hard wind -- and the larger limbs are beginning to snap. Between the years 2000 to 2005, 6.8 million more people became uninsured according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division. Current data estimates 46.6 million people are without health insurance coverage. As employer-based health insurance continues to fade, government programs are taking up the slack -- up to a point. But given the lack of funding, there is only so much that can be offered.

In a statement issued by the Center for American Progress, "These problems did not just happen: they resulted from flawed economic and health policies which force Americans to work more for less. When it returns after Labor Day, this Congress should act to mitigate these problems by passing a straightforward minimum wage increase and extend health funding for programs like the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Moreover, policy makers should recognize the need for major change, such as providing affordable health care to all Americans and taking action to address growing income inequality."

Some are calling for a government-based universal health care system that guarantees health care coverage for all Americans. Others are suggesting a mix of private and public health care coverage. What ever the solution, there certainly needs to be one.

We can start with a shift in perspective and change in expectation. If you are working full-time for a company, presumably your efforts are helping that company make a profit. Health insurance coverage should not be viewed as a luxury benefit, nor should the largest burden of health insurance premiums be shouldered by the employee whose earnings just meet living expenses. Yet, this is happening every day in this country. The hard wind continues to batter the brittle tree.

Personally, I am not sold on a government-run, government-backed universal health plan simply because I have covered too many horror stories about rationed care in other industrialized countries. It seems a combination of programs might be the solution but the government and our elected officials certainly need to be held accountable for implementing programs that insure all Americans.

American Public Health Association Georges Benjamin is quoted by United Press International as saying, ""This is the worst news we've had all year. Our nation is not secure if we're not healthy."

Less than one year ago, Rep. John P. "Jack" Murtha, D-Pa., came crashing onto the national scene with his opinion that the U.S. military could accomplish nothing more in Iraq and should be pulled out of the war zone. It was a harsh opinion -- and one his Democratic partners thought might hurt their party at a time when they were trying to gain control of Congress. The fact that the Democrats had been seen as weak on national security didn't help. And then a funny thing happened.

Murtha, 74 -- a decorated Marine and the first combat veteran of the Vietnam War elected to the House of Representatives -- became one of the most popular Democrats around, despite or maybe because of his passionate beliefs. Once a behind-the-scenes kind of man, he is now in the public eye. He's out raising money for Democrats in many states. He's attending fundraising events with Al Gore and others. And he's gathering allies at every turn. And while he still faces opposition, he believes that he must make public what he stands for. And so he does. And because of his recent uncharacteristic charismatic presence, details about this once-to-himself man are emerging. Details like these: A local airport is named for him. An institute for the study of neuroscience and pain is named for him. And a breast cancer center bears the name of his wife, Joyce.

The Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center at Windber Medical Center opened its doors in February 2002. Located in Windber, Pennsylvania, this center began as a collaboration between Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Windber Medical Center and ever since its beginning has offered full diagnostic services for breast health and disease in one convenient location.

Murtha is surely raising awareness with his opinion about the military and national security and war. And even breast cancer gets a little press out of the whole frenzy surrounding this man and his efforts. Which reminds me that somehow, breast cancer seems to touch the lives of just about everyone is some way.

Republican Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon calls home DNA kits for cancer and other diseases as nothing more than modern day snake oil and he believes consumers are being misled and exploited.

Smith, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, released a report from the Government Accountability Office on home DNA test products. He stated he is shocked to learn how little the federal government is doing to protect consumers in awareness and education regarding the uselessness of these products.

According to a Congressional report, home DNA tests or nutrigenetic tests, are not clinically valid and companies selling them are making unproven and ambiguous health-related predictions.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said they were investigating the companies to determine is oversight was needed.

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." -- Chinese proverb

Ann Fonfa will be one of the featured speakers at the Cancer Monthly's teleconference for patients and their family members focusing on alternative therapies and integrative medicine. In 1993, Fonfa was diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer. She suffered recurrences from 1995 to 2001 with 25 tumors overall -- 14 of which appeared on the chest wall. She created her own path to healing, choosing a combination of chemical sensitivity special needs and her own readings of research studies. Fonfa is the founder and webmistress of The Annie Appleseed Project.

The Annie Appleseed Project is a nationally recognized resource of complementary medicine and alternative therapy providing informational resources, education, support and advocacy. There is a vast interest in these healing modalities. According to Fonfa, over two million people have visited the project website. Fonfa is a featured speaker at meetings concerning alternative therapies. Fonfa has testified in Congress and to the Food and Drug Administration about the need for these services for those interested in pursuing alternative therapies and treatment. If you are interested in exploring the alternative therapy options to healing and health, you can begin by visiting The Annie Appleseed Project.

The office of Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) issued a press release announcing that Congressman Hoyer and Congressman Roger Wicker (R-MS), with support from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, introduced the Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2006, H.R. 5390, a measure to improve programs for cancer survivors.

When referring to the over 10 million cancer survivors, and the 1.4 million Americans who will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone, Congressman Hoyer said, "Unfortunately, this new population of cancer survivors has been largely neglected. It is imperative that this growing population of survivors are equipped with the resources, information, and support to face and overcome quality of life challenges including barriers to physical activity, employment, and social and emotional health." I know -- it's politics and we are talking politicians -- but once in awhile something good does get done. Armstrong expressed appreciation and gratitude to Congressman Hoyer and Congressman Wicker for bringing H.R. 5390 forward in Congress.

The Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act will support research and quality of life issues; and the establishment of new National Cancer Institute designated centers for research and provide central locations for information. To read more about the outline of H.R. 5390, visit Congressman Steny H. Hoyer.

As part of Livestrong Day, Lance Armstrong and 100 cancer survivors and caregivers went to Washington, D.C. to lobby their congressional representatives for more cancer research funds. Armstrong criticized the Bush administration for cutting taxes while cutting the budget for the National Cancer Institute. "Taking from the poor and giving to the rich has never been a good policy," he told the audience at a Tuesday night reception at the Dirksen Senate Office Building. While visiting congressional representatives, Armstrong and cancer advocates were asking that Congress make cancer a national priority and to financially support the National Cancer Institute programs that result in early diagnosis and treatment and the Center for Disease Control programs that target cancer prevention, detection and treatment needs of each local community.

There are over 10 million cancer survivors alive today. Surviving cancer in such great numbers is a fairly recent phenomenon in the history of this country, as cancer was once considered a death sentence. The U.S. government, under President Bush's leadership has set back cancer research by cutting funding, and if more awareness is not raised about the budget for cancer research, further cuts will be made. Armstrong, and 10 million cancer survivors are becoming a visible and vocal force to be reckoned with, as these are serious issues. Cancer and cancer survivorship cannot be put on a financial back burner of lesser priority. One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life. For more information, visit the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Livestrong.