NEWSBYDOUG ULMAN

Doug Ulman, the President and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, is part of Change.org's Changemakers network, comprised of leading voices for social change.

At this moment, we face a crisis that is quietly killing millions. In 2010, cancer will become the #1 cause of death in the world. This statistic is especially tragic considering that one-third of all cancer deaths are preventable. And taking a stronger stand to prevent tobacco addiction will save countless people the pain of a diagnosis.

Lung cancer is the fastest growing cause of cancer deaths in the world and, overwhelmingly, those losses are caused by tobacco. In 2004, the U.S. took an important step towards addressing the devastating global impact of tobacco by signing the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Today, World Tobacco Day, is our chance to tell Washington it's time to finish the job and join other leading nations in ratifying this treaty.

The Tobacco Treaty can literally make a life-or-death difference for millions, and the people in the Change.org community helped put it back onto the political map. LIVESTRONG's effort to push for ratification of the treaty was voted one of Change.org's Top Ten Ideas for Change in America earlier this year. When ratified, the treaty will commit countries to implement scientifically proven policies that rein in the big tobacco companies and prevent kids, Big Tobacco's favorite target, from smoking - the best possible strategy for preventing lung and other forms of cancer.

Please join us in demanding that the White House send the treaty to the Senate and "Ratify Now."

Photo credit: Meddygarnet

Doug Ulman, the President and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, is part of Change.org's Changemakers network, comprised of leading voices for social change.

You couldn't write fiction more dramatic than this. The outcome of one special statewide election throws the entire national health care reform effort into jeopardy.

By resetting the clock on the reform effort, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown's election throws many Americans' hopes for accessible, affordable care into jeopardy. The Senator has stated his opposition to the current bill, his point being that he comes from a state with the most generous health care system in the nation and that the current package would cost his constituents more for something they already have. I get that. But for the rest of America, it's a blow.

From the perspective of the cancer community, it's tragic to see an issue as fundamentally important to life as medical care become so politicized. In this day and age, none of us should suffer and die because we don't have the cash to see a doctor. Yet far too many of us do, particularly in minority and underserved communities. Cancer will become the leading cause of death worldwide in 2010. More than half a million Americans will lose their lives to the disease this year. And to the 12 million living with cancer, a change to the status quo is essential.

While the current legislation is probably doomed, Republicans would be foolhardy to ignore Americans' appetite for change. If there's one thing we've learned since this effort began last July, it's that voters all over the nation are sick and tired of the current conditions in our health care system. From discrimination by insurance companies against the millions of us with "pre-existing conditions" to lack of affordable care, we've had enough of things the way they are.

However Congress tackles health care reform -- whether in an omnibus bill or piece by piece -- the important thing is that they tackle it. Now.

Photo: Unhindered by Talent

Doug Ulman, the President and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, is part of Change.org's Changemakers network, comprised of leading voices for social change. Change.org asked Ulman to respond to questions to provide context for his work and the causes he supports.

Change.org: What causes would you most like to promote as a Changemaker and why?

The fight against cancer. Cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide in 2010. But there is reason for hope. One-third of all cancer incidents are preventable and one-third are treatable with early detection and proper resources.

Health care reform. At LIVESTRONG we believe no American should be denied health insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions and no American should lose his or her insurance due to changes in health or employment.

Change.org: If you could ask one million people to all do one thing to advance causes that matter to you, what would it be?

Join in the fight by taking an active role in prevention and advocacy. Practice a healthy lifestyle: don't smoke, use sunscreen, exercise, eat a well-balanced diet and get screened regularly. Reach out to your local, state and federal elected officials to let them know where you stand on issues related to cancer. Together we can make cancer a global priority.

Change.org: Tell us a bit about your personal story and how you came to care so much about these causes.

The summer after my freshman year at Brown University, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was 19 years old and a Division I collegiate athlete. Cancer was something I never expected -- and I have been fighting it ever since. By the age of 20, I had become a three-time cancer survivor. I could not find information or support programs that addressed the myriad of issues that I had to deal with, such as questions of nutrition, physical activity, relationships and dating, the emotional upheaval of facing my immortality, and a return to the classroom, among other concerns. Frustrated by the lack of resources and literature to speak to the unique needs of young adults affected by cancer, my family and I created The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

On Oct. 30, 1997, I received an e-mail from a guy I didn't know named Lance Armstrong. A fellow cancer survivor, he had read my story in the Brown alumni magazine. At the end of his e-mail, he wrote, "We are the lucky ones. Let's try to find a way to work together and try and change the world." Little did I know, that e-mail would change my life. Lance and I kept in touch, but didn't actually meet until a couple years later. And in 2001, at Lance's request, I joined the Lance Armstrong Foundation as Director of Survivorship. I now serve as the President and CEO.

Change.org: What are the greatest obstacles to change on these causes?

Stigma. Of the 12 million people around the world who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2010, research shows many of them will hide their diagnosis, will be isolated by their communities, will be pushed out of family and social circles, and will face a lonely and painful fight for their lives. To reduce stigma associated with cancer, we need to empower survivors and re-shape public perception of those affected by cancer.

Misconception. Many think cancer is a death sentence, many more think it's contagious. These misconceptions lead to stigma, isolation and reluctance of people to seek treatment. We need to raise basic awareness of cancer prevention and conditions that lead to developing the disease.

Apathy. We know that cancer kills more people than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Yet a disconnect remains between what we know and what we do about cancer. For so many people diagnosed with cancer, we have the technology and treatment, but it doesn't reach them. As long as we allow this to happen, anywhere on earth, it is a moral and ethical failure.

Photo credit: joshuaBENTLEY