Kentucky Healthcare Groups form Cancer Fighting Partnership

Several healthcare groups have come together in a public-private partnership to fight cancer in Kentucky.

The newly-formed Kentucky Cancer Foundation is part of a two-million-dollar initiative to help uninsured Kentuckians get cancer screenings.

In his proposed two year budget, Governor Steve Beshear earmarked half a million dollars each year for colon cancer screenings. He also proposed raising another million from a public-private partnership.

At a news conference to announce the partnership, Beshear conceded that two million dollars won’t go very far.

“You know this is not nearly enough money. We knew that. But it is a start. And it is a significant start in that it is announcing to the Commonwealth and to the world that is time that we step up and attack this problem," he said.

But the state funding isn’t promised. Both legislative chambers must keep that clause in the final budget they pass in order for it to take effect.

The state funding won't be guaranteed until both legislative chambers pass the budget. Leaders of the new foundation were mum on what would happen if the state founding doesn’t come through.