Tag Archives: advocacy

The Devastating Cost of Losing Cancer Research Funding
A Cancer Survivor’s Call to Action

an op-ed by
Jeffrey Kendall Sapp, M.S., M.A., M.A.
Captain, United States Navy (Ret.)
Cancer Awareness Advocate | Motivational Speaker | Leadership Consultant | Leadership Coach | Senior Advisor, IMPETAS Defense Solutions

622 words/4-minute read time

I am speaking out about the devastating consequences of losing the type of medical research funding that is saving my life.

In September 2019, doctors diagnosed me with primary plasma cell leukemia—a rare and aggressive cancer affecting one in a million people. I was that one. Worse still, the survival rate for my cancer is 4% and most patients’ survival is measured in months.

This is not just a call to action—it’s a plea from a cancer survivor. I owe my life to research advancements that wouldn’t have been possible without dedicated funding. For me, research isn’t just academic; it’s my lifeline.

In September and November 2019, and in March 2020, doctors told my wife I was dying. At one time they told her and my older brother that I had just a week to live, and they should plan accordingly. My wife was distraught; and, on his flight to see me, my brother wrote my eulogy.

Yet here I am—five years later.

Why? It’s because, in my third year, I entered a clinical trial made possible through funded cancer research that yielded an amazing breakthrough treatment named CAR-T Cell Therapy, and that is saving my life.

CAR-T is a groundbreaking treatment – superior to chemotherapy – for treating my type of blood cancer. It collected T cells from me, modified them in the lab to become fighting warriors that destroy cancerous cells, and then reinfused them into my body.

CAR-T is nearly precise to date, powerful, and spares my body the devastating side effects of chemotherapy treatments, which I’ve not had in more than 18 months!

In 2017, the FDA approved this type of therapy. Six different CAR-T cell therapies are now approved to treat various types of blood cancers.

That’s why it’s alarming that lawmakers are slashing funding for medical research including for cancer. Equally concerning, this isn’t just a distant or theoretical issue; it’s a crisis unfolding before us. The cuts to medical research will hinder clinical trials, delay drug approvals, and limit access to life-saving treatments for patients like me.

Medical research is more than science; it’s a beacon of hope. But when funding disappears, that hope dims. Consider this: a mere 1% cut to cancer research funding can disrupt life-saving treatments, tear families apart, increase suffering, and rob people of precious time—a mother, father, child, loved one, or friend.

I know this pain firsthand.

I vividly remember lying in my hospital bed feeling weak and uncertain if I’d wake up the next day. I lost my hair, I lost my strength, and at times, I even lost my hope. But I never lost my will to fight, and that’s one reason I am here today—stronger, healthier, and brimming with life.

Cancer brought unimaginable hardship, but it also gave me a renewed purpose: to advocate for cancer awareness, inspire and bring hope to others, fight for cancer research, and to rally support from lawmakers and the public.

We cannot stop now! Lives hang in the balance!

Shoutout to caregivers: We see you, we appreciate you, and we stand with you. You are unsung heroes. Your love, strength, and resilience have a profound impact on the cancer survivor, and your dedication is inspiring.

This isn’t medical advice—it’s my story. I share it because I beat impossible odds, thanks to critical research that made my survival possible. But if funding disappears, future survivors may never get their chance.

We cannot let that happen!

This crisis is real but so is hope. Continued funding will advance research, deliver new treatments, improve survival rates, and give millions a reason to believe.

Join me. Advocate for medical research funding. Spread the word. Inspire hope. Speak out. Fight for the future of funding because every life is worth saving.

jeffreykendallsapp@gmail.com

Never give up! Never surrender!

Learn More About Advocacy for Cancer Research

Funding

That was Jeffrey’s op-ed, but he and his lovely wife, Shannon, are starting a new website. (Here’s the link to the current one that still is in draft form, but it will give you a great sense of what they’ll be providing.) He’ll be sharing his public speaking presentations, and the two of them will show you some carefully crafted cuisines that support good health. Shannon also has expertise in designing decor and tablescapes, so there will be times when they show off the food they’ve prepared in fancy presentations.

I happen to know them well. So, if you have any difficulty reaching them, let me know, and I’ll try to make the connection for you.

Sip & Share Sessions on Zoom

Of course, you know I’m a Life Coach, Spiritual Counselor, conductor of classes, etcetera. So, if I can help you get through severe illness or other issues, feel free to contact me at MyGetWellGuru@gmail.com, and I’ll give you a FREE chat session in which we can talk about how I may serve you or your group.

We can talk about what it’s like to have severe illness and techniques that may help one get through it. We also can talk about what it’s like to be a caregiver and techniques that might help people get through that – either as family and friends or as professional caregivers. I have ideas, and – no doubt – also can learn from YOU!

Meanwhile …

Self-Care Is the New Health Care

Let’s Get Well, Stay Well, and Live Well!