Lansdale Letter To The Editor: Cancer Is More Important Than Hillary And Trump

The following letter to the editor was submitted by Harleysville resident Matt Helfrich. To submit a letter to the editor, please email justin.heinze@patch.com.

Most Americans agree that we have never been more united than the weeks and months following September 11, 2001. This is consistent throughout our country's history. We have always united during times of crises and adversity - World War I, World War II, and the 1991 Gulf War, among others.

Today, our country is as divided as it has been since the Vietnam War. Fear and hatred dominate social media and the American political landscape. Does a problem exist that all Americans can agree‎ to rally around and for which they work together? There certainly is, and that problem is the War on Cancer.

Despite Vice President Biden's Moonshot for the Cure initiative, cancer receives little attention compared to other domestic issues and diseases. However, statistics reveal that fighting the War on Cancer should be one of our country's top priorities. 600,000 deaths per year. One in three women are diagnosed with cancer and men have a 50/50 shot of being inflicted with cancer in their lifetimes. These are sobering statistics.

Our country needs to come together again to win the War on Cancer. Regardless of political affiliation, we should be asking ‎the Presidential candidates for details on their plans to cure cancer. We should lobby our representatives for legislation to ensure the great research being completed by scientists results in an effective drug or treatment for cancer in as short a time period as possible. Our citizens should be planning more events and charities to raise money for cancer research and awareness to detect warning signs as early as possible. Imagine what our country could acheive if we devoted our time to the War on Cancer in leiu of degrading the Presidential candidates.

I believe that we can forget about our petty political disagreements and facilitate a huge change in the War on Cancer. Remember that hope is a good thing, and maybe the best of things, and no good thing truly dies.

Matt Helfrich

Harleysville, PA

Patch file photo.