Postal Service stamp helps fund breast cancer research-Truth!

U.S. Postal Service Campaign to Help Fund Cancer Research with a Breast Cancer Stamp-Truth!

Summary of eRumor:
You are encouraged to go to the Post Office and purchase "Fund the Cure" stamps that will be benefiting research on breast cancer.

The Truth:
This is true.

The postal stamp for fighting breast cancer was the nation's first fund-raising stamp, according to the U.S. Postal Service. It was issued in 1999. The U.S.P.S. announced in 2002 that the cost of the stamp was being raised from 40-cents to 45-cents and that the stamp would be on sale until at least December, 2003. This is what the U.S.P.S. calls a "semipostal stamp," meaning that it is priced above the normal cost of First-Class postage with the net proceeds going to a worthy cause. In the case of the breast cancer stamp, 30 percent of of the net proceeds goes to the Medical Research program of the Department of Defense (for breast cancer research). Seventy percent goes to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

It is important that we take a stand against this disease that kills and maims so many of our mothers, sisters, friends.

Instead of the normal $.34 for a stamp, this one costs $.40. The additional $.06 will go to breast cancer research. A "normal" book costs $6.80.

This one is only $8.00.

It takes a few minutes in line at the Post Office and mean so much. 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. What
a statement it would make that we care.

I urge you to do two things TODAY:

1. Go out and purchase some of these stamps.

2. E-mail your friends to do the same.

Many of us know women and their families whose lives are turned upside-down by
breast cancer. It takes so little to do so much in this drive.

We can all afford the $1.20. Please help & pass it on