Governor McGreevey Declares War on Cancer

New Jersey Governor James McGreevey made the War Against Cancer a top priority of his administration. For instance, in his 2004 State of the State Address, the Governor proposed requiring insurance companies to cover mammograms for women under age 40, who have a family history of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 15-40 , both nationally, and in New Jersey.

Under Governor McGreevey, New Jersey became only the 2nd state in the nation to legalize groundbreaking stem cell research. Scientists believe that stem cell research may one day provide new treatments, or even cures, for cancer and other chronic and life-threatening diseases, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries, and diabetes.

Over the years, The New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) has provided more than $23 million dollars for over 500 research projects on cancer.

New Jersey also has a Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan. Its goal is to ease the burden of cancer for the state’s 8.4 million residents. In New Jersey , where 13.3% of the population is age 65 and older, the highest incidence rate of cancer occurs in the 80-84 age group. African-Americans, both nationally and in New Jersey , are 22% more likely to die of various cancers than Caucasians because they are diagnosed later.