As you may be aware, the U.S. Postal Service recently released its new "Fund the Fight, Find the Cure" stamp to help fund breast cancer research. The stamp was design by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland.  It is important that we take a stand and show our outrage against this disease that kills and maims so many of our mothers, sisters, friends.  

Instead of the normal $.32 for a stamp, this one costs $.40.  The additional $.08 will go to breast cancer research.  If all stamps are sold, it will raise an additional $16,000,000 for this vital research. Just as important as the money is our support.  What a statement it would make if the stamp outsold the lottery this week or outsold tickets to Saving Private Ryan this weekend.  What a statement it would make that we care. 

Women in Law is committed to raising awareness of issues that effect us not just as law students, but also as women.  So knowing that it is sometimes difficult to get to a post office to buy special stamps (the bookstore will not be selling these stamps), WIL will be getting a few hundred of these stamps and make them available for purchase by anyone who is interested.  (This is NOT a fundraiser for us--we are simply making these stamps more accessible to the Chicago-Kent community to help raise awareness of their existance.)  WIL will also be purchasing some of these stamps to use on our own mailings throughout the year. 

 Please forward this message to everyone you know to tell them that the next time they're at the post office, they should ask for the "Fund the Cure" stamps.  

Think of it, $16 MILLION dollars to fund research to cure this deadly disease...how can we all afford NOT to buy them? 

-Women in Law 
 

Breast Cancer Research Semipostal Stamp 

Date of Issue: July 29, 1998  
    

     First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Postmaster  
     General William Henderson issued a new postage 
     stamp to help raise funds for breast cancer research. 
     The issuance ceremony was held in the East Room of 
     the White House, officially launching the first U.S. 
     stamp in history to have its net proceeds above the 
     cost of postage earmarked for research organizations. 

     "About 2 million American women suffer from breast 
     cancer today," said the First Lady. "This deadly 
     disease, which claims a woman's life every 12 minutes, 
     has touched the lives of so many American families, 
     including the President's own. I am proud to build on 
     the President's long-standing commitment to breast 
     cancer prevention and research. This historic stamp 
     will be invaluable in our efforts to increase research 
     funding and save lives."  

     "People purchase stamps every day, and now they can 
     turn that simple act into a meaningful and effective way 
     to participate in the fight against breast cancer," said 
     Postmaster General William Henderson. "So often 
     when we read or hear about breast cancer, we say, 
     'What can I do?' Now there's an answer: Buy this 
     stamp."  

     Joining the First Lady and the Postmaster General at 
     the White House ceremony were some of the stamp's 
     leading proponents: Rep. Vic Fazio (D-CA); Sen. 
     Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); and Elizabeth Mullen, 
     breast cancer survivor and founder of the Women's 
     Information Network Against Breast Cancer. 

     As a "semipostal" stamp, it will cost 40 cents and will 
     be valid for postage in the amount of the prevailing 
     32-cent First-Class letter rate. Seventy percent of net 
     proceeds above the cost of postage will be given to 
     the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 30 
     percent of net proceeds above the cost of postage will 
     be given to the Medical Research Program of the 
     Department of Defense (DoD). The NIH and DoD, 
     which both conduct breast cancer research, were 
     identified as recipients of the funds by legislation 
     enacted in 1997. 

     The stamp was designed by Ethel Kessler of 
     Bethesda, Md., and illustrated by Whitney Sherman of 
     Baltimore. This is the first postage stamp illustration by 
     Sherman, and is the first stamp design completed by 
     Kessler, one of six art directors developing stamp 
     designs for the Postal Service. Kessler has a personal 
     interest in helping raise awareness about breast cancer 
     since she is a survivor of the disease. 

     Breast cancer is considered the most commonly 
     diagnosed cancer among women in every major ethnic 
     group in the U.S. Experts say when breast cancer is 
     diagnosed early (stages I and II), five-year survival 
     rates are nearly 95 percent and there are better 
     options for breast conserving surgery.