I’ve received a few calls about Proposition 15, and that I should vote for it, but I never knew what it was. I knew vaguely that it had something to do with cancer, but I never took the time to find out what it was. And I wish I had. I can’t vote tomorrow because I don’t live here (at least, I don’t think I can since I’m not registered to vote here), and I missed the boat on the absentee ballot that I could mail in, so I can’t vote for Prop 15 tomorrow. But you should! I’m sure I don’t know all there is to know about what this bill means for our state economy, but here’s what I do know (taken from the Lance Armstrong Foundation website on Prop 15 found here):

Unite and Fight Cancer.

Cancer affects all Texans.

This year alone, more than 95,000 Texans will be diagnosed with cancer, and more than 37,000 Texans will lose their lives to the disease.

More than 650,000 Texans have a history of cancer.

Nearly 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women in Texas will develop cancer during their lifetime.

Cancer costs Texans $30 billion a year in direct and indirect costs.

Texas holds the cure.

At a time when federal funding for cancer research is being reduced, states must do more to invest in cancer research – and Texas can the lead the way.

Prop 15 is a constitutional amendment to establish the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to:

* Conduct research to prevent or cure cancer
* Support existing cancer research efforts in Texas
* Implement the Texas Cancer Plan, a statewide blueprint for cancer prevention and control

If passed, Prop 15 will authorize up to $3 billion in state general revenue bonds to fund cancer research, prevention, early detection and control programs.

This type of commitment of resources led to the virtual eradication of polio in the 20th century, and it can be successful against cancer in this century.

As you probably know, I lost my Daddy to Leukemia. And even though he died, the modern achievements that medicine has made in the fight against cancer helped improve his quality of life. I wish I could snap my fingers and eradicate cancer, but it’s never that easy. It requires time, and it requires money. So please. If you can spare a few minutes tomorrow, go vote. No, you know what? MAKE time tomorrow (or rather, later today) and go vote for Proposition 15. So many people’s lives have been touched by cancer. Wouldn’t you like to see a cure?