Speech for First Lady Hillary Clinton
The G&P Charitable Foundation for Cancer Research
It is a great honor and privilege to be here today in support of such a noble and important cause.
Cancer is a word that causes us to shudder, for it brings us face to face with our own mortality.
Unfortunately, Denise Rich and Phillip Aouad know first-hand what it means to lose a loved one to this terrible disease. But instead of being overwhelmed by grief, they resolved to help create a future in which no one would have to suffer as Gabrielle did.
Today we stand as witnesses that Denise and Phillip’s dream is coming to fruition. This year, the G&P Charitable Foundation is able to give a total of $1.4 million dollars to eight researchers involved in pioneering cancer research.
You – the award recipients and the members of the G&P Medical Advisory Board – are truly the soldiers on the frontlines in the war against cancer. With every spark of inspiration, with every clinical trial, with every lab experiment, you take us closer to the day when cancer is nothing more than a sad and distant memory.
And your efforts are desperately needed: over 28,000 people were diagnosed with leukemia in 1998.
Last year, my husband served as the Honorary Chairman for the G&P Charitable Foundation, and attended the inaugural banquet, an event that raised nearly $3 million dollars. This year, I am here to show that we remain committed to the work of the e foundation, and intend to make our participation a Clinton family tradition.
Our conscience demands we do all we can to help those who are living under the shadow of cancer. Our memories of lost loved ones urge us on to make sure that no one else’s life is tragically cut short.
It is occasions like these that help us realize that life is fleeting and precious; and that when we give of ourselves, we truly can make a difference. Let us use this realization to spur us on to do our part in finding a cure for cancer in our lifetime.
We wish you Godspeed in your research efforts.
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