Did you know that a staggering 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime? It’s a heartbreaking statistic, and for me, it’s personal. My mom was diagnosed in 2012, and just this past year, my sister received the same devastating diagnosis. Watching two of my direct family members face this disease has been both painful and eye-opening. And sadly, our story isn’t rare. In recent years, breast cancer diagnoses have been rising in younger women, particularly in the Northeast region (NY, NJ, and CT) of the United States.
More Than Just A Pink Ribbon
Every October, we see a wave of pink ribbons, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns. Don’t get me wrong, these are incredibly important for spreading awareness and inspiring hope for those affected. But what some people fail to recognize is that behind every pink ribbon is a comprehensive network of doctors, researchers, and scientists who work not only in October but work year-round to understand, treat, and hopefully one day cure this disease. Their life-saving work is made possible through federal funding. So, what happens when that federal funding support disappears?
What Trump’s Budget Cuts Could Cost Us
During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency, there have been proposed budget cuts targeted at the very heart of medical progress. Funding for agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI), which are key organizations in breast cancer research, are now facing reductions by billions of dollars.
Leaked fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget documents propose eliminating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Chronic Disease Center, which houses the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). This program has been vital in providing free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to those who are considered low-income or uninsured.
The same proposal also outlines defunding the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By a jaw-dropping 42% — from $47 billion to $27 billion. That’s not just a minor slash in funding; that’s significant enough to dismantle decades of progress made in breast cancer research. Within the NIH is the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which funds critical research on all types of cancer, including breast cancer. These organizations are the backbone of medical advancement in the U.S., and cuts of this size would directly result in fewer clinical trials, fewer new therapies, and fewer lives saved.
Yes, Congress has successfully blocked some of these cuts before. Just last month, the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act was introduced in the House of Representatives. If passed, this legislation would mandate reauthorization of the NBCCEDP program until 2030. It’s a step in the right direction, but the fact that we have to fight this hard for basic cancer screenings is unacceptable in a country with so many resources.
Why College Students Should Pay Attention
This isn’t just a budget issue, it’s about real people’s lives. When the government diverts funding away from healthcare and reallocates it into tax breaks for corporations, they are sending a clear message: that cancer research isn’t the priority. This budget proposes fewer resources for developing targeted therapies, which will ultimately lead to more lives lost due to this terrible disease.
Cuts to public health agencies don’t just stall progress, they also hurt access. Think preventative care programs, mammograms, MRIs — which are essential tools in catching cancer early, when it’s most treatable.
As a daughter and sister of two strong, brave women who have fought breast cancer, it is terrifying to think about what might be lost when scientific progress is no longer prioritized. Progress cannot happen without consistent investment, and breast cancer doesn’t wait for politics to catch up.
You may ask, why should college students care? Especially young college women? Because the fight against breast cancer affects us, too. It affects our mothers, our sisters, our best friends, and even some of us one day. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate by age, and research is increasingly showing that young women are being diagnosed earlier and with more aggressive forms of the disease.
As students, we are the next generation of voters, scientists, doctors, researchers, and advocates. We have a responsibility to pay attention to how science is supported or neglected by our nation’s leaders.
How You Can Help
If you are looking for ways to help, here’s what you can do:
- Vote with science in mind. Know where candidates stand on health funding.
- Support nonprofits. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Susan G. Komen directly fund research.
- Share your story. If breast cancer has touched your life, talk about it. Personal experiences are powerful.
- Contact your local representatives. Urge them to support bills like the SCREENS for Cancer Act.
Breast cancer research saves lives. It saved my mom’s. It saved my sister’s. And with the right support, it can save countless others. But that only happens if we stay informed, stay engaged, and speak up when science is under threat. Every time we fight for funding, we’re fighting for our mothers, our sisters, our friends, and our future.