 The "Fund the Fight, Find a
Cure" semi-postal stamp was released in July 1998 to help fund breast cancer
research.
The stamp’s introduction was a direct result of
the efforts of Dr. Ernie Bodai, MD, a Breast Health Specialist who has treated more than
2000 women with breast cancer over the last 15 years. Dr. Bodai travels the United States
addressing groups of women about breast cancer.
Dr. Bodai first came up with the idea
of selling a slightly higher than normal stamp by talking with numerous breast cancer
patients and survivors. He wanted breast cancer research advocates to dictate how the
profits from the stamp would be spent (for example, genetic research one year,
environmental causes of breast cancer the next year, and so forth). The Breast Cancer
Research stamp sells for $0.45 instead of the normal $0.37 for a first class stamp. The
additional $0.08 goes to the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Department to
help fund breast cancer research. A "normal" book of 20 first class stamps costs
$7.40. A book of 20 Breast Cancer Research stamps costs $9.00.
The mission to convince the United
States government to approve the Breast Cancer Research Stamp was complicated for Dr.
Bodai. In 1996, Dr. Bodai and breast cancer research advocates sent over 200 letters to
U.S. Senators and House Representatives, encouraging them to consider the Breast Cancer
Research stamp. The letters represented support from over 150,000 people since it is
estimated that one person will write his/her Congressman for every 10,000 people who share
a particular view. Dr. Bodai also enlisted the support of then presidential cabinet member
Donna Shalala, cabinet secretary for Health and Human Services.
Each year, over 20,000 bills are
introduced during Congressional sessions. Of those 20,000 bills, only 200 make it to the
floor for discussion. Dr. Bodai and breast cancer research advocates convinced then New
York House Representative Susan Molinari to introduce the bill to Congress. After mild
opposition in the House and then the Senate, the bill was passed in both houses and sent
on to the President in 1997. On August 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton signed the Breast
Cancer Research bill, making it Public Law 105-41-only the 41st bill ever to
pass through Congress.
The stamp itself was designed by Ethel
Kessler, a breast cancer survivor in Bethesda, Maryland and was illustrated by Whitney
Sherman of Baltimore, Maryland. The stamp portrays the Roman Goddess, Diana, protector of
women in Roman Mythology. Diana is reaching for a quiver, symbolizing that she will
protect women from harm. Diana’s arm is raised in the same position a woman would
raise her arm during mammography and breast
self-examination. In the place of her right breast is the circular "Fund the
Fight, Find the Cure" logo.
At a special White House ceremony in
August 1998, the Breast Cancer Research stamp was officially introduced by then First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton. Elizabeth "Betsy" Mullen, founder and president of
the Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WINABC), was a featured speaker at
the ceremony. Mullen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 at the age of
thirty-three. Through her own struggles with the disease, Mullen became an avid
breast cancer advocate. Mullen and fellow WINABC board member David Goodman helped
Dr. Bodai gain legislative support for the Breast Cancer Research stamp. Goodman
lost his wife to breast cancer in 1997.
It is estimated that over 182,000
American women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually and more than 40,000 American
women will die from the disease each year.
Many research studies on new drug
treatments and other minimally invasive breast cancer therapies rely on funding from
breast cancer support organizations. Over 330 million stamps have been printed since 1998
and distributed to over 40,000 U.S. Postal facilities.
Breast Cancer Research Stamps (45¢
each), pane of 20, Item #553040, $9.00
Additional Resources and References
-
Breast Cancer Research stamps may
be ordered at local U.S. Post Offices or online at http://shop.usps.com/
(under the special stamps section).
- To learn more about the Breast Cancer
Research Stamp and how Elizabeth Betsy Mullen and David Goodman helped Dr. Bodai make it a
reality, please visit http://www.winabc.org/
Updated: August 2006
Return to Resources Main Menu |
