WASHINGTON, DC-- The Senate Special Committee on Aging, led by Chairman Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Ranking Member Susan Collins, today held a hearing titled "The Fight Against Cancer: Challenges, Progress and Promise." At the invitation of Senator Collins, Mary Dempsey, Assistant Director and Co-Founder of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing in Lewiston, testified about the vital need for education and support services for patients and their families. In addition, award-winning actress Valerie Harper, who rose to fame on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Rhoda", testified about her experience with cancer, calling for more federal funding for research to develop better cancer screening methods and treatments. Dr. Harold Varmus, Director of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health also testified before the Aging panel.
Senator Collins said, "While survival rates are improving, cancer continues to be the second-most common cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. While cancer affects people at all ages, it poses particular challenges for older Americans. The fact is that aging is the single greatest risk factor for developing cancer." Senator Collins said that more robust funding for biomedical research is "one of the best investments our nation can make."
Mary Dempsey said, "While physicians and other oncology professionals provide great medical care to treat the disease, cancer patients and their families need additional support to treat the person and those who surround them. Cancer affects the whole person and the whole family." She described the free-of-charge support and educational services offered by the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing, which she co-founded with her siblings, including actor Patrick Dempsey. Their mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997 and passed away earlier this year.
Valerie Harper observed that "research dollars equal lives," and called for more research to develop new treatments and better means of screening for cancer in its early stages. In March 2009, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer, which was discovered only after she underwent a routine x-ray in preparation for surgery for an injury on her wrist. In January 2013, the cancer recurred in a new form of an incurable cancer that occurred in the membrane that surrounds the brain. She said that biomedical research should be considered a federal investment and not simply a federal expense.
Among other issues, Dr. Varmus explained the need for a sustained and predictable increase in federal funding for cancer research, and for multi-year funding since the vast majority of important research projects cover several years.
Chip Kennett, a young father and professional who served on Senator Collins' staff for two years, also testified. Chip was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer after seeking treatment for an unrelated eye condition. He talked about the importance of his participation in clinical trials. "Thanks to these medical breakthroughs, I have been able to experience many quality-filled days." He explained that he is now focused on living with cancer.
Dr. Thomas Sellers, Executive Vice-President and Director of the Moffitt Research Institute at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida also testified.
The American Cancer Society estimates that as many as 1.7 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year, including more than 9,200 in Maine.
(Senator Collins with Mary Dempsey)