Patients and Progress Pay the Price

Right now, funding cuts to the NIH, CDC, and DoD are stalling promising treatments, shuttering labs, and driving talented researchers out of science.These aren’t abstract policies—they're decisions made by Congress, with life-and-death consequences.Most people don’t realize how deep the cuts go. And when they do hear about them, they assume it must be a mistake—because who would believe Congress is cutting cancer research?In today’s divided media environment, emotionally grounded, first-hand stories are the most powerful way to make this real.That’s why we’re collecting stories—from researchers, patients, and caregivers—and using them to show Congress and the public what’s really at stake.If you’ve been affected, please share your story. And if you know someone who has, send them our way.This is how we fight back and tell Congress: #HealthCutsCost!

What We're Doing

We're collecting personal stories from patients, families, and researchers. These stories will be used to:🔸 Reveal the hidden harm to biomedical research
🔸 Show how lives are disrupted by decisions made far from the lab or clinic
🔸 Build public pressure on lawmakers to protect and restore funding

Share Your Story

• I'm a Patient or Caregiver
• I'm a Researcher

Why Your Story Matters

Funding cuts to biomedical research don’t just impact budgets—they impact people.Whether you're a patient waiting on a breakthrough, a caregiver navigating limited options, or a researcher forced to abandon promising work or facing delays, your story helps show the real-world consequences of shrinking investment in science.We're Looking to Hear From
🔸 Patients whose treatment was delayed, denied, or limited
🔸 Families and caregivers facing uncertainty or loss
🔸 Researchers whose work has been defunded, delayed, or downsized
🔸 Anyone with a story that shows how these cuts affect lives, careers, or communitiesHow Your Story Will Be Used
You decide how public your story is. We offer multiple levels of visibility:🔸 Full anonymity - No identifying details, just your story
🔸 Limited attribution - Quotes may be used anonymously (e.g., "a patient with ALS from Florida")
🔸 Full attribution - Your name and story may be shared publicly

About

About the Campaign
#HealthCutsCost is a non-partisan, grassroots effort to show how federal research funding cuts hurt real people—scientists whose careers are at risk and patients hoping for cures. Most people don’t realize it, but many of today’s medical breakthroughs started with basic research funded by the federal government. Before any company can create a new drug, scientists first have to understand how the disease works. That takes time, risk, and open sharing across fields—and that kind of work rarely happens without public support. When we cut that off, we don’t just slow down one cure—we stall progress for everyone. If this hits home for you, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you have a story to share or want to help grow the project, reach out and get involved.About Me
I'm Karen Kaludov, a social science researcher, communications strategist, and patient living with uveal melanoma—a rare cancer. I’ve spent my career helping others tell stories that shape public understanding and policy. Now I’m doing the same for something deeply personal. My future may depend on biomedical breakthroughs, and those breakthroughs depend on strong, sustained public investment in science.

Contact

Have an idea for the campaign? Want to get involved? Just want a periodic update on the campaign's progress? I'd love to hear from you!Email me: [email protected] or find me on Signal at @Cuts.25

FAQ

Last updated: July 23, 2025What is this campaign about?
#HealthCutsCost is a national, nonpartisan effort to document and share how cuts to biomedical research funding—especially NIH, CDC, and DoD programs—are harming real people and stalling lifesaving science. We're collecting first-person stories from patients, families, and researchers affected by funding cuts. These stories will be used to raise public awareness and push lawmakers to protect and restore funding.We are currently in Phase 1: story collection via personal networks. Later phases will involve paid outreach and media engagement to collect and share a wider set of stories.Who’s behind this?
This campaign is led by me—Karen Kaludov—a researcher and strategist with over 20 years of experience in communications, public affairs, and advocacy. I hold a PhD in Sociology from the University of California, San Diego, and have spent my career helping organizations understand their audiences and shape messages that resonate, persuade, and drive policy change.I'm a Principal at Stratalys, a research and consulting firm that helps organizations test messages, explore attitudes, and uncover what really drives opinion and behavior. You can learn more about us here, and view my background on LinkedIn.This is not a corporate or PAC-sponsored effort. It’s a lean, grassroots initiative powered by volunteers—friends, colleagues, and fellow advocates who care deeply about this issue.Who’s collecting and storing the data?
All story submissions are collected and stored securely on the Stratalys survey platform, which is built and maintained in-house. We do not use third-party tools like Google Forms. Your data does not pass through social media platforms or ad providers. I will not share your data (other than what you allow me to) with anyone outside our small research team.For more details on Stratalys's data storage and privacy protections, see our full privacy policy hereHow will my story be used?
Your story may be used in the following ways:
• To educate the public (through social media, op-eds, or media pitches)
• To inform lawmakers (through direct outreach or campaign collateral)
• To support advocacy organizations (that are lobbying for research funding)
• You control how your story is used. When you submit, you’ll be asked to choose your level of anonymity—you can remain anonymous, share only selected details, or attach your name and photo if you're comfortable doing so.
• We will never share your story or contact info without your permission.Is this a political campaign?
No. This is an awareness and advocacy campaign, not a partisan or electoral one. That said, we are targeting lawmakers with influence over research funding—many of whom happen to be Republicans on key committees. Our aim is to inform and pressure, not to endorse or oppose candidates.Who else is involved?
Right now, the campaign is supported by a small team of collaborators:
• Former researchers
• Communications professionals
• Patient advocates
• Volunteers helping with tech, outreach, and social mediaWe are actively seeking partnerships with disease-specific nonprofits, academic institutions, and professional associations willing to help spread the word or contribute stories.Do you have any examples of how the stories will be shared?
We are still in the early phases, but examples will include:
• Quote cards on social media (with consent)
• First-person op-eds in local media
• Case studies shared in one-pagers or lobbying materials
• Coordinated posts by patient and research communities using #CutsCost
• As soon as the first wave of stories is live (with consent), we will share examples on www.HealthCutsCost.org.How can I help?
We’re currently looking for:
• Researchers and patients willing to share their story
• Advocates who can help test or distribute our story collection forms
• Volunteers for media outreach, content creation, and grassroots mobilizationWant to chat before submitting Contact me at [email protected], Cuts.25 on Signal, or set up a Zoom—I’m happy to talk it through.