The reading from the prophet Isaiah this Sunday promises that when the savior comes, “then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” Until that time, the ill and afflicted can take comfort in the fact that Congress passed sweeping legislation Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support to boost funding for medical research, ease the development and approval of experimental treatments, and reform federal policy on mental health care.

"Today's Senate approval of the 21st Century Cures Act clearly communicates to the vast network of institutions and professionals dedicated to cancer research that the U.S. government is committed to the task as well."

Each year, there are 14 million new cases of cancer worldwide.