I learned, after the 2008 Livestrong Summit, what “Vote Yellow” means. 1. n. An expression of choice made by 12 million cancer survivors and their loved ones. 2. v. To declare one’s opinion that our leaders should make cancer a national priority.

Let us continue on this path, to keep cancer a national priority; to eliminate discrimination against individuals because of pre existing conditions. To eliminate any annual or lifetime limits on coverage and that insurers should not have the right to cancel the policy because of a change in your health or employment.

These are the changes that I would like to see, that Katherine spoke about in the last “ask livestrong” video and what we as livestrong advocates support. It makes no difference to me what party does this, be it Democrats, Republicans or a joint effort. Let’s bring the focus back to what is needed: Health care reform.

LIVESTRONG

Rich

I am disappointed to receive the email and have asked to unsubscribe to LAF. My husband will also be removing his yellow wristband and no more contributions from our family. We will find another organization.

A recent LIVESTRONGpetition asked Congress to ensure the needs of cancer survivors are addressed in health care reform by supporting two key principles:

No American should be denied health insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
No American should lose their coverage due to changes in health or employment.

And, Jeff, I do recall seeing plenty of footage of Lance biking with George W. Bush. So I would hardly say that he’s anti-Republican.

Yes, other systems are broken. Believe me – I “follow” a couple of Canadian cancer patients, one of whom is not getting the kind of treatment that she should, IMHO, because of the system. But, at no point, has the administration said, “Let’s mirror exactly what is being done in other countries, flaws and all.” I would hope, and imagine, that as this plan is being put together, effort will be made so that the system we end up with will not have the same pitfalls as other countries, like Canada and Ireland that have government supported healthcare systems.

You do realize, (per WikiPedia, and if it’s on the internet, it must be true), that “The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system”? Is that because we are so much wiser than our peers? Or a bit behind the times?

Again, there is no such thing as a perfect healthcare system. But how can ANY of us, rightfully, stand and say that what we have, right now, works?

An attempt to come together, regardless of political affiliation, to rectify a very broken system has to be done.

LIVESTRONG’s political affiliation is simple. It’s not Democrat. It’s not Republican. It’s backing whoever is doing the most for the people it supports.

Forgive me for saying this, but to remove your wristband because LIVESTRONG supports a position that is shared and driven by the current President, who happens to be a Democrat, is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Let the dust settle, and feathers unruffle before you make such a move.

If so, I’d like to know what they are so that I can express my support for those and judge any proposed bill according to those core goals.

I think it’s pretty clear that Livestrong supporters are not united in support of what’s being proposed right now.

I hear over and over that health care reform is a bad thing. Can someone at least acknowledge that the current system is flawed? It is killing people and will continue to kill people until it is fixed. It is unstable and unjust and until we change it, countless lives will be lost.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation is looking at this from the cancer community perspective. Their duty is to advocate for us. We survivors and supporters lobby our representatives for issues that are important to us. It has nothing to do with the party involved. It has to do with doing the right thing for cancer patients, survivors, etc..

Would the current reform plan be perfect? Probably not, would it be better that the current situation? Yes. It certainly would help those facing cancer with no insurance and those with pre-existing conditions. I myself am unable to get affordable health insurance because I had AND beat cancer 16 years ago! 16 years. I find it depressing that I am in better shape/health than the majority of America, but I have to be on my wife’s corporate insurance to get affordable coverage.

Let’s not make LAF out to be this big political machine. They are truly making a difference in people’s lives.

Lets take a step back and put this all into perspective. Lets think about all of the people in our lives that we have lost from cancer; that we have watched suffer; that we have watched try to make ends meet and decide between food or their $1500/weekly medication for nausea. Lets all remember that cancer does not care who we are, where we are from, what our circumstances are, if we go to church, if we are a “D” or an “R” – CANCER DOES NOT CARE. Lets not think about this in terms of liberal vs. conservatives – because cancer doesn’t, so why throw out references to this being a political issue – it isn’t. It is a human issue.

Nobody is saying the legislation (in either the House or the Senate) is perfect or is exactlly what will fix the incredibly broken system we have. What I advocate for as a LIVESTRONG Army leader is everyone – regardless of their circumstances in life (because who am I to judge), deserves access to quality, affordable health care. We can’t afford to do nothing – too many people are dying from this disease and our economy is in ruins because of the incredible costs of health care.

I had to go through the system as a primary caregiver at the age of 23. Today – I am not married because of cancer..I don’t have children today because of cancer. My fiance died when he was 25 and I had nothing left because we spent so much on trying to fight this disease.

Lets not point fingers or make an incredible organization like the Lance Armstrong Foundation out to be the bad guy. I personally feel forever indebted to Lance, the staff at the LAF and the incredible advocates across the state and world taking a stand for this community. If they don’t – who will?

Please don’t diminish the discussion to a game of politics – as a community we are better than that.

So…let’s focus on the heart of this post and Doug’s previous post. Let’s keep the attention on this issue as cancer warriors! Let’s share ideas whether they be republican, democrat or independent ideas. Because ultimately…cancer doesn’t give a crap about who we vote for on election day. Let’s unite behind the cause because unity is strength!

LiveSTRONG!
-Matt

Are you kidding?
Then why does the Lance Armstrong Foundation get political for the sake of change without knowing what the change will bring?
I’ve read the health care reform bills passed by the House and the Senate and what they propose is frightening, to not just cancer patients, but to all of us.
Do we really want the government in charge of whether we live or die?
Change is needed, but not change for the sake of change. We need to be sure it is change for the better.
There are better ways to handle health care reform than what the president is suggesting.
He has refused to listen to other ideas on reform and has become stubborn, almost obstinate, in his version of health care.
If we are going to have reform let’s get everyone’s ideas.
Let’s not through the baby away with the bath water.
We have some excellent attributes in our current system.
A system that has saved many cancer patients, including people close to me.
We ought to be damn sure we know what the effect of the change is before we do it, and we ought to keep the government out of it.
I do not oppose a charity I support getting political, but to just openly support one party’s ambition without looking at the details angers me. There will be no more donations to your organization until it suggests a better health care system with all parties involved over one man?s socialist ambitions being satisfied.
There is a reason the general public in this country is opposed to the current proposed change.
It doesn’t make sense.

Bob

Let?s finally educate Americans what the healthcare systems are really like for the middle class in Canada and other countries. Ever wait 6 months for a CAT scan and other straight forward tests and procedures.

He is currently receiving Vitamin C infusions to help tackle the cancer. He quit taking the chemo because it was just making him so sick he couldn’t stand it. The Vitamin C is helping, but he continues to fight every day.

We need help in passing legislation that will not allow this to happen to anyone in our country. He does not deserve to be going thru so much pain. They have found cures for other forms of cancer, the “sexy” cancers – but no one seems to care about pancreatic cancer, the hardest there is to cure. Not only to we need to not deny people coverage, we need to do more research to help fight these diseases.

Thank you for all you do,
Adina