For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 1, 2002

President Addresses "Race for the Cure" Participants via Telephone

As Delivered to the Awards Ceremony
West Point, New York

8:22 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, Nancy, thank you very much for your kind words, and I appreciate so very much your service to our country as Ambassador to Hungary, and your service to our country as the Founding Chairman of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

And I've got to tell you, I'm here at West Point, getting ready to give the commencement address, and I'm honored to be here. But I kind of wish I was running today with the thousands who are there.

I want to thank all the runners for bringing hope to Americans as we fight cancer. I want to thank the survivors for your courage. I want to thank Congresswoman Sue Myrick, who is Race for the Cure Honorary Survivor Chair.

I appreciate so very much the fact that you all recognize that you're running for a great work and a great cause, that every life saved is a mother, a daughter or a sister restored to health. What I love most about the Komen runs is that people participate in the spirit of generosity and kindness and love that really distinguishes America and makes us unique. You know, a lot of people go out and run to win prizes. You're running and walking to save lives. And for that, our nation is incredibly grateful.

I recognize that we've made some advances, and I'm grateful for those, and I know you are, as well. But I also know that we've got a long way to go to win this war on cancer and breast cancer. Nancy mentioned that the federal government is strongly committed to funding -- putting dollars up for research at the NIH, which we will do, and continue to do. See, I'm an optimistic person. I believe -- strongly believe in our lifetimes we will achieve a victory over cancer.

Again, I want to thank you for running. Every step you take today is critical to finding a cure for breast cancer.