Cancer is a disease that physically and emotionally impacts patients and their families.

In an average week, more than 900 residents of New Jersey are diagnosed with cancer and 750 people succumb to cancer's devastating effects. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2003, 7,400 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed among women in New Jersey.

Governor McGreevey's Administration has provided $56 million for cancer care and research in the last two years. The NJ Department of Health has successfully coordinated outreach efforts to thousands of people and has provided screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancer. The state's Office of Cancer Control Prevention is working to reduce the incidence and mortality of cancer through prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation.

Due to the high cost of mammograms, many women under 40 are unable to afford this potentially life-saving procedure. The Governor is fighting to protect New Jersey women by requiring health insurance companies to cover annual mammograms for women under 40 and by increasing funding for the NJCEED program, which provides mammograms to uninsured women.