This week, I am celebrating an enormous milestone: my breast cancer surgery took place on November 11th, 1969, and I am fortunate to now be a 50-year cancer survivor.
I was honored to have the Houston Chronicle share my breast cancer story in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I believe passionately that we will find a cure for all forms of cancer, and last week our city took a major step towards achieving that goal.
On Election Day, Houston approved Proposition 6 with an overwhelming majority, which will allow the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to continue its good work. I was proud to sponsor the original legislation for the creation of CPRIT in the Texas Legislature in 2007. As a cancer survivor and as someone who lost her husband to cancer, this has been one of the most personally meaningful successes of my career.
Since then, CPRIT has provided over $2.4B in grant funding to over 100 academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and private companies, all in Texas – including MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, the Rose, and many more here in Houston. CPRIT has created thousands of jobs and generated billions of dollars of economic activity. Thank you Houston, for voting to approve Prop 6 so CPRIT can continue to support this vital cancer research in Texas.
Best,
Ellen