EMILYs List Statement Commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 1, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today EMILYs List Executive Director Emily Cain released the following statement to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
 
“This month, let us honor survivors, advocates, and those who have lost their battle with breast cancer by renewing our commitment to accessible preventive care and treatment. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, affecting one in eight American women in their lifetime. Diagnosed during a routine mammogram and now cancer-free, women like Senator Claire McCaskill are testaments to the importance of having access to preventive care and reliable providers like Planned Parenthood.” 
 
“It is deeply unfortunate that women's access to vital care continues to be threatened by Republicans' endless attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and gut health care funding. Now more than ever, we must elect more women's health champions like Mai Khanh Tran, a physician and two-time breast cancer survivor, who will fight for access to lifesaving care and research to find the cure.”
 
EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Since the 2016 election, thousands of women and counting have reached out to us about running for office. To harness this energy, EMILYs List has launched Run to Win, an unprecedented effort to get more women to run at the local, state, and national levels.