U.S. Postal Service Donates Proceeds from its Semipostal Breast Cancer Stamp to Fund Breast Cancer Research

TULSA, OK—In the wake of the nation’s current focus on mass education and the eradication of breast cancer globally, the U.S. Postal Service currently has one 55-cent fundraising or "semipostal" stamp available for purchase at Post Offices, online at The Postal Store, and by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24: the Breast Cancer Research stamp.

The price of a semipostal pays for the First-Class single-piece postage rate in effect at the time of purchase plus an amount to fund causes that the Postal Service determines to be in the national public interest and appropriate.  By law, revenue from sales (minus postage and the reasonable costs of the Postal Service) is to be transferred to a selected executive agency or agencies.

Breast Cancer Research Stamp
The Breast Cancer Research semipostal was issued on July 29, 1998, at a first day ceremony held in the White House. It was the first semipostal stamp in U.S. history.

To date, the stamp has raised more than $54 million for breast cancer research. By law, 70 percent of the net amount raised is given to the National Institutes of Health and 30 percent is given to the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense.

Designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, the stamp features the phrases, "Fund the Fight" and "Find a Cure" and an illustration of a mythical "goddess of the hunt" by Whitney Sherman of Baltimore.

In commemoration of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, USPS employees are participating in and campaigning for National Race for the Cure events in their respective cities. “We hope that in some small way, our commitment to this cause contributes to monumental change”, said Tulsa Postmaster Kathy Ervin-Johnson.