Thank you for supporting the campaign to increase funding for prostate cancer research.

A phone call is an effective way to voice your concerns to Congress and impart a personal touch to your request, if you are unable to visit in person.  When you call your Members of Congress, it is important to be clear, concise and direct.

STEP 1.  GET CONNECTED TO YOUR MEMBER’S OFFICE

Dial (202) 224-3121 to reach the Capitol Switchboard, which can connect you to your Member’s offices.  If you are not sure who your Representative is, the Switchboard can tell you based on your zip code.  The switchboard will also connect you to your Senators’ offices.

STEP 2.  WHEN YOU CALL

• Ask to speak with the legislative aide who deals with healthcare. This person is your Member’s expert in the area and will be far more likely to respond positively to your message.
• Introduce yourself. The aide will probably ask for a mailing address or zip code to verify that you are a constituent. It may be helpful to also give your phone number and email address so the Member or their staff can follow up with you.
• Let them know why you are calling. Below is a sample script. Draw from this script, but be sure to include your personal relationship to prostate cancer.

Sample Script

“I am a prostate cancer [patient/survivor/advocate].  I’m calling today to ask Representative/Senator [your Member’s name] to support a request of $125 million for the Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) at the Department of Defense.  The PCRP funds groundbreaking high-risk, high gain research to prevent, find better ways to detect and treat, and cure prostate cancer.  Another high priority concern for men and their families fighting prostate cancer is the quality of life during and after treatment.  Current treatments often lead to devastating lifelong side-effects.

A ‘Dear Colleague’ letter is circulating – or will soon be circulating – on the Hill.  I hope you will sign the letter asking the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to provide $125 million for the PCRP.”

Useful Talking Points

Here are some statistics and talking points you may use, but it is important that your personal statement be the main topic supporting your request.

• The PCRP has been level funded at $80 million since fiscal year 2006.  The program reached its highest funding level in fiscal year 2001 ($100 million).
• Prostate cancer is as devastating to men as breast cancer is to women.  In 2008, 182,460 estimated new cases of female breast cancer compared to 186,320 estimated new cases of prostate cancer.  Also, the death rate for prostate cancer is similar to female breast cancer (27.9 per 100,000 for prostate, 25.5 for breast).  [These statistics are compiled from data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]
• Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of male cancer-related death in the United States.
• 1 in every 6 men will get prostate cancer sometime in his life.  The chances of getting prostate cancer are 1 in 3 if you have just one close relative (father, brother) with the disease. The risk is 83% with two close relatives. With three, it’s almost a certainty (97%).
• African-American men are at special risk for the disease, with the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world: 1 in 4 men. African American men are 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease.
• Since fiscal year 2001, the prostate cancer community has struggled to conduct human clinical trials; the Prostate Cancer Research Program will require at least $100 million to adequately conduct a clinical trial program.
• Without adequate funding, clinical trial studies that might produce potentially lifesaving medicines will never have the opportunity to make it to the marketplace or to patients who need them most.
• Every year that the program is level funded, it becomes more challenging to fund new research or in some cases, to complete research that has already been started.