Cuts to NIH are jeopardizing cancer treatment now

I’m writing to let you know how the massive budget cuts are affecting my cancer treatment. I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in October of 2023. I’ve received excellent care at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle and had no evidence of disease from July 2024 through January 2025. Unfortunately, my most recent scans show a new mass in my right lung.

I spoke with my oncologist last week and she assured me that there are targeted treatments that can be used to eradicate this new mass, but she warned me that she wasn’t sure when I could start treatment because of the budget cuts. She went on to explain that Fred Hutch receives 75 percent of its funding from the National Institutes of Health and, as you know, NIH funding was recently halted.

My ability to get treatment is on hold. Where else will my cancer spread while my treatment is on hold? How many other people will have their cancer spread while waiting for treatment? How many people will die while waiting for treatment? How many people with other diseases will die while their treatment is paused?

I believe that most Americans are in favor of cutting unnecessary spending, but cutting programs without considering the impact is foolish and cruel.

Sarah Brown

Everett