Dish-Houston

Dolls,

Photo credit - Fran w/ Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) & Congresswoman Jac Schawkowsky (D-IL)What an exciting few weeks!  I just returned home from a great trip to D.C., where I went to support the introduction of the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.  Can you believe 1 in 5 personal care products contain chemicals linked to cancer?  If the bill is passed, the FDA will oversee the ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products.  What we put ON our bodies is just as important as what we put IN them, so let your elected officials know that getting harmful chemicals out of your daily products is important to you!

I also had the chance to participate in a web chat with Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services Secretary, and Donna Norton, National Director of MomsRising where we discussed healthcare and preventative services for women and families.  Both are fabulous women on a mission to ensure we have the resources we need to keep ourselves healthy.  If you missed it, check out the video here.

And that's not all!  This month, Cancer Schmancer and I also played a vital role in passing a bill in California to ban the hormone disrupting chemical, BPA, from baby bottles, containers and sippy cups.  (BPA has been banned from baby bottles in NY, and outright banned in Maryland, France and Australia.)  A chemical associated with so many health conditions should never be present in children's products!

My friends, we stand at a crossroads where a safer, healthier U.S. is only steps away.  I thank you for all your support and urge you to stay in the know through Twitter, CancerSchmancer.org, and/or our RSS feed.

All my love,
Fran

P.S. Thank you, thank you so much for submitting your reviews of Cancer Schmancer.  We were named one of the Top-Rated Health Nonprofits by GreatNonprofits! Yahoo!

Here is the latest entry from Fran Descher from her Cancer Schmancer Blog that she is sharing with DISH!

                We just got back from DC on Sunday night, where we had wonderful success in getting support to begin new initiatives on two fronts. One will be to replace the archaic manual pelvic with the more state of the art and effective transvaginal ultrasound. The other initiative will be to create an industry standard for women’s beauty products and, in so doing, eliminate the carcinogens presently found in many formulas. We are also working with the state of California to make the transvaginal ultrasound mandate and become the first state in the US to do so.

It hasn’t been two days since my return from Capitol Hill and I’ve already received this lovely letter from my dear new friend, Joel Segal.

Enjoy…

Be Well,

Franny D

Fran,

Greetings my new friend! I look forward to working with you to save lives. Your passion, warmth, humor, brilliant mind and sincerity are amazing, infectious, and just blew me away! This will translate into success in Congress, because believe me, you are very skilled on so many levels, we will make this happen. And, I will never forget how you just loved those kids in the halls that recognized you, and made them feel so welcomed into your world.....very cool! I just wish more people who have achieved your level of success could be as real, down to earth, and hip as you are!! Very rare, very rare indeed!!

I can relate from my heart about living through illnesses and disabilities; I have lived with sleep apnea my entire life, so I know about pain, struggle, joy, surgeries, and overcoming a life-threatening nightmare. You have survived cancer, and I can tell from your warm energy that you may have been transformed from this experience, or just became an even more wonderful and loving person then you were before. I am writing a book, (but it is talking a long time) with the help of the Stanford Sleep Center entitled a "Patient's Handbook On Surviving Sleep Apnea & Insomnia." I want to teach others about how to survive the illness, get the right medical help, and also survive the deep psychological depression and anxiety that emanate from being sleep deprived.

I know that with your leadership, and with the growing Cancer Schmancer Movement, the Congress will pass legislation to help women struggling to access preventive health screens, check ups, and on going quality health care due to the very serious problems with private health insurance. With the numerous contacts you have already made in Congress among Members and staff, I feel confident that you are going to get some legislation passed!

All my best,

Joel Segal
Senior Legislative Assistant on Health Issues
U.S. Congress

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