Rick Scott and Donna Shalala Highlight Budget Proposal to Fight Cancer

Gov. Rick Scott and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, now the president of the University of Miami, teamed up on Friday to showcase the governors proposal to send $80 million from the state budget for cancer research. Scott is calling for $60 million to ensure Florida Cancer Centers gain National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation and $20 million for grants.

I was proud to join the University of Miami Health System at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center to highlight the importance of investing to make Florida the No. 1 state for cancer research, Scott said on Friday. Families all across Florida have been affected by cancer, and we must remain focused on providing all families with access to world-class treatment. I would like to thank Dr. Shalala and her team for working to find a cure for this terrible disease.

Enhancing cancer research is the right thing to do for the people of Florida, Shalala, who served in the Clinton presidency, said. Ultimately, it saves lives and improves our care for cancer patients. The University of Miami is grateful to have Gov. Scotts valuable support on this front.