The program was aptly inspired after the 1962 speech that then President Kennedy gave at Rice University in regard to the nations focus on sending men to the moon, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade ... because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win," Kennedy said. On the verge of this remarkable and bold project MD Andersons president, Ronald DePinho M.D. encapsulated the drive behind the program when he said, "Humanity urgently needs bold action to defeat cancer. I believe that we have many of the tools we need to pick the fight of the 21st century. Let's focus our energies on approaching cancer comprehensively and systematically, with the precision of an engineer, always asking ... 'What can we do to directly impact patients?'".
The inaugural program will focus on; acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, melanoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and triple negative breast and ovarian cancers - two cancers linked at the molecular level. It is expected to span ten years with an estimated cost of $3 billion dollars. More importantly it holds the key to a new approach to chronic disease diagnosis, treatment, and therapy.
"That's one small step for man, a giant leap for mankind"
Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969
