Dear Cancer Researchers, In 2004, I got a phone call from my father that I will remember forever. He called to tell me that my beautiful grandmother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was devastated. The women I looked up to for being so strong was now barely able to lift her head. This innocent little old woman, like many others, had to suffer for four long years because of you. Luckily, my grandmother is still here on this earth with me, but unfortunately that is not the case for many other people. Due to you, many people today are living without grandparents, parents, and siblings. I don’t understand why it is taking so long for you to find a cure. You literally spend every day in a lab working but never come out with the answer we are all waiting for. Every day that you walk out of that laboratory without a cure more and more people are dying. I know you don’t enjoy watching people suffer and die, so what are you waiting for? Per the American Cancer Society, an estimated 595,690 people will die from cancer in the US alone in 2016. That’s half of a million people that are dying because you have not found a way to stop this disease. Cancer is taking over. More and more people are being diagnosed each year. It is predicted by the American Cancer Society that about 1,685,210 new cancer cases will develop this year. With this many cases, there are not many people you will find who are not being affected in some way. They may not have cancer themselves, but it is likely that they know either a loved one, friend, patient, or even a pet that is being affected by this terrible disease. Cancer is not only taking the lives of many adults but also of many innocent children. These children are not getting the chance to grow up and experience life’s milestones. They will never get their license, or walk across the stage at graduation, or get married to the love of their life. They are missing out on all the great things that we all take for granted. I am just curious to know what you are doing with all the money that is raised and set aside for you to do research. Several organizations like Susan G. Komen and The American Cancer Society donate billions of dollars to you in order for you to find a cure for this terrible disease. Not to mention the money the federal government sets aside in our fiscal budget to help the National Cancer Institute. In the current budget, the National Cancer Institute’s allocation was $5.21 billion, and this was increased from last year’s budget of $260.5 million. In addition, we as citizens in towns small and large are hosting events and fundraisers to help raise money to find the cure for cancer. We are doing our best to help by raising money to supply you with the necessary tools and equipment needed, yet you still haven’t come up with anything. So, what are you really using this money for? It clearly isn’t going towards cancer research, because if it was we would have a cure by now. Another question: Why are we paying you so much money? You are making anywhere from $45,007 - $119,950 a year, yet we still don’t have a cure for cancer. You would think that someone making that much money is doing something pretty important, but I have not seen anything that impresses me. All that I have seen come from your work is a lot of failures. Sure, you may have come close a couple of times, but people are continuing to die every day, so I do not consider that a success. You would think that after all the years you spent in school, and with the ample amount of money you are provided with, that you would be able to figure something out by now, but perhaps not. I cannot fathom that cancer can be that complicated to figure out. You have been working for decades to find a cure, but still having nothing to show us. Even though it makes me upset that you haven’t found a cure, I still appreciate all the hard work and effort you put into discovering new ways to prevent and treat cancer. I know that you spend long hours in the lab conducting experiments in addition to doing personal research at home. Your knowledge of science and medicine are essential to helping find a cure for cancer. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to help others get better. I know that you could be spending time with your family or enjoying your personal hobbies instead, so I am forever thankful for all that you do and the sacrifices you make. Yeah maybe you haven’t found a cure yet, but you have definitely made progress. Without you, the number of deaths and new cases of cancer diagnosed each year would be twice as much. Thanks to you I still have my grandmother here with me today. Without the medicine and knowledge of cancer we have today, she would not be here. So, thank you for the work you have put into finding this cure. It is because of you that we know more about cancer than we ever have before. Remember that every day you spend in the lab allows you to become closer and closer to ending this disease once and for all. I am not writing this letter just to express my anger, but in hopes that you will see how many people are suffering and maybe try a little harder. This letter is for all of those who are no longer with us because they lost their battle to cancer. For those who are in the hospital and cancer treatment facilities right now waiting on you to save their life. It is for those that are living without their loved ones. So, while you are spending those countless hours in the lab doing experiments and research, remember these people who are waiting on you. Don’t take too long either, because the longer you take, the more lives that are lost to cancer. I know that you want to find a cure for cancer just as bad as I do, so let’s work together to end this terrible disease once and for all. We can’t give up on searching for the cure. There are too many lives depending on us. We shouldn’t stop working until every person is cured of this terrible disease. Let’s find the cure together. Best Wishes,
Maegan Bennett
3 Comments
Logan Gordon
11/13/2016 01:05:23 pm
This is truly inspirational. I'm glad your grandma fought and is still here with you. We need to find a cure fast, too many people are dying from this terrible disease.
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Madison
11/13/2016 01:17:07 pm
Very persuading post. Love and agree with what you are saying.
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Kate Clark
11/13/2016 01:27:51 pm
I didn't remember this about your grandmother. Wow! So glad she is one of the blessed survivors. You brought up lots of great questions. Questions that we have all asked at one time or another. We have to keep researching and praying for a cure.
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AuthorI am a student at Georgia Southern University. I love the outdoors, and my favorite flower is a sunflower. Archives
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