Gov. Perry: We Must Cure Cancer Once and For All

Austin, Texas - Gov. Rick Perry urged leaders at the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to continue aggressively pursuing their goal of finding cures for cancer, and praised the extraordinary work they have accomplished since the institute's creation. The governor addressed CPRITs 3rd Annual Innovations in Cancer Prevention and Research Conference.

"Since CPRITs creation, you all have helped lay a sound foundation to establish one of the greatest cancer-fighting tools in human history. The challenge that remains before us is to build on that foundation, and finally begin curing cancer once and for all," Gov. Perry said. "It's a lofty goal, but I have full confidence that with your collective intelligence, passion and drive, we can take the next step. We can foresee a day when those waiting for the drug that will shrink their tumor will be waiting no longer."

In 2007, Gov. Perry led an initiative to help make Texas home of the next wave of treatments to combat cancer, resulting in the Legislature passing and voters approving the creation of CPRIT, a $3 billion bond initiative over 10 years. CPRIT also received an appropriation of $600 million from the Texas Legislature for fiscal years 2012-2013.

Since its creation, CPRIT has funded 427 awards worth more than $756 million for cancer research, treatment commercialization and prevention. Together with matching funds obligated by grant recipients, more than $900 million has been invested in Texas' efforts to change the face of cancer. CPRIT award recipients include Texas academic institutions, non-profit organizations and private companies. The institute has become one of the nation's largest cancer grant providers, second only to the National Institutes of Health.

For more information about CPRIT, please visit http://www.cprit.state.tx.us/.