HOUSTON – Finding a cure for cancer is the purpose behind a $1 billion nationwide push on Wednesday.
The Cancer Moon Shot Summit focuses on breakthroughs in cancer research all across the country.
MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program began in 2012. Their goal is to rapidly and dramatically reduce death and suffering from cancer.
Haley Hernandez explains how Houston is on the front lines of the task force.
The summit is based in Washington, D.C., but of course MD Anderson participated in a big way.
The first of its kind, the moon shots initiative is a mix of policymakers, researchers -- including some from MD Anderson -- and survivors.
The task force is shooting for the moon and intends to end cancer with $1 billion to accelerate progress in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.
Vice President Joe Biden, who lost his own son to the disease, is jump-starting the program.
"There's a recognition that by aggregating data of millions of patients -- including genomics, family history, lifestyle, treatment outcomes -- we have the potential to find new patterns and causes and successfully treat cancer in ways we never did before," Biden said.
Doctors say the future of cancer survival looks better with Biden on their side.
"He understands government. He understand bureaucracy. He understands and gave specific examples of how he had to intervene to break down," Dr. Raymond Sawaya, MD Anderson Chairman of Neurosurgery, said.
Also on board, Texans defensive lineman Devon Still, who knows from his experience with his 5-year-old daughter, a cancer survivor, that no matter how good the future looks, it cannot wait.
"Yes, advances are happening but the urgency aspect of it, perhaps, has not been focused on as much," Sawaya said.