Future cancer cures are in jeopardy because of dramatic and unprecedented proposed reductions in research funding, staff eliminations and policy shifts at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute.
That’s why I traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to speak in support of strong cancer research funding, and to personally tell Sen. Jerry Moran that cuts have consequences.
I didn’t go to D.C. as a lobbyist but as a high school student, a Kansan and a young person already conducting cancer research who is deeply concerned about the future of biomedical research funding in our country.
During my trip, I attended a U.S. Senate hearing featuring the NIH director, focused on the president’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026.
The president’s proposal includes devastating cuts to the NIH, and in particular to the NCI. These cuts are not just numbers in a budget — they have real consequences for real people.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 618,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer in 2025 alone.
In Kansas, more than 5,600 families will experience a cancer-related death. We can’t afford to stop funding the very cancer research that these families are depending on to provide future cures.
After the hearing, I had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Moran, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Moran has always been a strong supporter of the NCI and cancer research in our state, and he will be a powerful voice and vote as the president’s budget moves through Congress.
The senator was extremely approachable. He told me that he’s optimistic that final funding levels will be closer to what they are now. This gives me hope but not certainty.
Later in the day, I sat down with Moran’s staff and shared with them just how much of an impact cuts to NIH and NCI funding would have, not only on the health of Kansans but our economy as well.
This funding supports more than 1,700 jobs throughout our state and contributes $395 million in economic activity.
Cutting this funding doesn’t just harm science — it harms Kansans’ livelihoods.
As a high schooler who is conducting cancer research through the University of Kansas Cancer Center, I’ve seen firsthand the promise of biomedical innovation.
I dream of becoming an oncologist one day, so that I can contribute to medical breakthroughs and save lives. When I see budget proposals like this, however, I worry that those dreams may be harder to achieve — not just for me, but for an entire generation.
The president’s proposed budget also includes major cuts to funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC funds the Kansas Cancer Registry, which provides accurate cancer statistics.
