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October 24, 20003: The National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases, which is made up of the Paget's Foundation, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, National Osteoporosis Foundation and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, decided to support and lobby for funding for osteosarcoma research as a priority initiative for 2003-2004. Though the whole coalition will lobby on behalf of osteosarcoma, the specific osteosarcoma initiative will come from The Paget Foundation. The goal is to have "report language" in the appropriate appropriations bills, to specifically identify osteosarcoma as an under-funded area of bone and cancer research, and to recommend the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute set aside funds for osteosarcoma research.

To be successful, we need to identify scientists, physicians, osteosarcoma patients and their families and the care providers who will be willing to write, fax and/or meet their congressional representatives and senators to educate them on the need for research to improve the treatment and management of osteosarcoma. This grass roots support will be needed in early spring 2004, when the US House and Senate Appropriations Committee meet to establish Federal budget priorities and 2005 FY funding.