For families battling cancer, funding for treatment and support can mean the difference between hope and despair. Lawmakers are weighing Bill 1–38, a measure to secure the future of the Guam Cancer Trust Fund.

Senator Telo Taitague says cancer does not discriminate – and that’s why the law can’t afford to, either. “It could be you, it could be your loved one," he senator said. "In fact, there have been more people today who have never smoked or worked in a hazardous environment that has now been diagnosed with lung cancer.

“Cancer touches every village, every faith, every family. Again, it does not discriminate. While we cannot stop this disease, we can choose how we respond.”

The bill would amend Guam’s Healthy Futures Fund statute, guaranteeing that 15% of “Sin Taxes” on alcohol and tobacco — or at least $4 million annually — flows directly to the Guam Cancer Trust Fund. But Taitague says that promise hasn’t been kept.

She stated, “In the last six years, we have shortchanged the Guam Cancer Trust Fund by over $19 million. How many people could we have saved if we just maintained what the current law required us to do? This funding is not an appropriation from the general fund, but a fund that comes from taxes on tobacco and alcohol, also known as sin taxes.”

She says consistent funding means more than numbers on a page — it means lives saved.  “The Guam Cancer Trust Fund provides stable, protected funding for critical services such as cancer screening to catch the disease early when it's most treatable, treatment support to help families afford desperately needed care, patient and family services so that no one fights alone, education and outreach to build awareness and save lives," she said.

A recent budget amendment temporarily secured one year of funding, but Taitague says that’s not enough, noting, “What Bill No. 1-38 does is guarantee the GCTF $4M or more – depending on the percentage of the Healthy Futures Fund.”

Former senator Louise Muna testified, saying her advocacy was shaped by her mother’s cancer battle and her work on the My Story program that gave voice to cancer fighters and survivors. “From those stories, I saw clearly the enormous disparity that still exists in prevention, screening, and treatment here on Guam," she shared.

But she reminded lawmakers that advocacy alone isn’t enough, stressing, "But passion alone is not enough. We need consistent funding, resources, and legislative support to turn advocacy into action. When I served in the 34th and 35th legislatures, I fought every session to protect the Guam Cancer Trust Fund. I saw firsthand how time and time again cancer was overlooked in favor of other priorities.

“This bill restores what should never have been taken away. Ensuring that cancer patients and their families receive the resources they deserve as the law intended.”

Community nonprofits also weighed in.  Guam Cancer Care has been a partner since the trust fund began, helping over 4,400 residents and securing nearly $34 million in outside resources for patients. Executive director Terry Cuabo says despite the law, the fund has never received its full share.

“Since the beginning, the GCTF has never gotten their fair share. Only last year in Budget Law 37-125 projected revenues in their Healthy Futures Funds were $23 million. 15% of that should have been $3.5 million. But what did the initial budget act do? It only appropriated $1 million," said Cuabo.

Lawmakers pressed for accountability, citing Office of Public Accountability audits that questioned nonprofit spending and documentation. Senator Sabina Perez asked how dollars could be stretched further to serve more people, while Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane raised concerns about delayed allotments that threaten nonprofit operations.

“It was not intended to put UOG on notice, but we announced in the media that we’re going to cease services due to the release of funds," siad Cuabo. Senator Chris Barnett criticized past budget battles that left cancer patients lobbying and protesting just to receive the funding already promised by law.

Still, Taitague says what’s at stake isn’t just a number — but dignity, care, and hope.  “These nonprofit organizations have a real impact on our families here because of the Guam Cancer Trust Fund, thousands of residents have received life-saving screenings and financial assistance and supportive care," she said.