The loss of a loved one is a defining moment in our lives. It has the ability to put everything else in perspective.

And for people like WSU Spokane Nursing alumna Allison Perrine, who lost her mother to breast cancer, it inspires advocacy. Allison has dedicated her life to helping people impacted by the disease.

October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is a time to remember those we’ve lost, like Allison’s mom, stand side-by-side with those who are in the midst of their battle, and celebrate those who have overcome it.

Most importantly, it’s a time when we pledge to work towards a cure.

About 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Our ultimate goal should not be to provide life-long treatment, but to find life-saving cures.

All too often, however, medical innovations are delayed by clunky, costly, and time-consuming processes. Bureaucrats hardly know how to respond to new treatments except to say no.

It shouldn’t take 15 years and billions of dollars to maybe get a new medical innovation approved. We need to remove the unnecessary barriers between Americans and life-saving innovation.

House Republicans are offering a Better Way.

The health care plank of our agenda, “A Better Way to Fix Health Care” builds upon the 21^st Century Cures initiative, which will expedite the development and discovery of new treatments and cures for millions of people across the country.

This means prioritizing resources, cutting through red tape, and empowering scientists and researchers so they can discover, develop, and deliver medical breakthroughs.

The work we are doing here in Congress – to invest in research and development and advance real medical innovation right here at home – seeks to help those who face a future of a disease without a cure. And it all starts by doing one thing: putting patients first.

Young, old, rich, or poor, we all know and love someone who has been impacted by breast cancer.

This month, and every day of the year, we pledge to find a cure, and offer hope for millions of Americans.