Dr. Ernie Bodai with Kaiser Permanente is the man behind the Breast Cancer Stamp. The stamp is sold through the United States Post Office and a portion of the sales raises money for breast cancer research. Currently the stamps have raised over 960 million dollars. “This is the only stamp in the world that has ever saved a life” Bodai said.
BIOGRAPHY OF BALAZS IMRE BODAI, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Ernie Bodai, M.D. was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1951. He and his family lived in a bomb shelter for nearly a year, before they managed to escape during the Hungarian Revolution in 1957. Following immigration to the United States, Dr. Bodai received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his M.D. degree from the University of California, Davis in 1977, where he currently serves as Clinical Professor of Surgery. Dr. Bodai served as Chief of Surgery, Kaiser Permanente, Sacramento for 15 years and directed The Breast Health Center from 1997 to 2011, which was recognized, nationally as a “Center of Excellence”. In 2012 he established The Breast Cancer Survivorship Institute, the first center dedicated to addressing issues which women face following their treatment for breast cancer.
He has authored over 250 medical articles and has published 5 books, 4 of which focus on cancer. He holds a number of medical device patents, is a member of numerous prestigious surgical societies and is the recipient of many national awards. He serves as a board member or medical director of several companies. He currently serves on The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer’s Accreditation Committee.
After treating thousands of patients with breast cancer he became frustrated at the pace of funding for research. In a remarkable one-man lobbying effort he was able to convince Congress and the U.S. Postal Service to issue the Breast Cancer Research Stamp – the first ever stamp in U.S. history that sells at more than face value (55 cents) with the surplus amount donated directly to breast cancer research. Over 965 million stamps have been sold raising nearly $95 million for crucial research.
He is currently introducing the first ever “global stamp” raising awareness and funding to conquer the disease worldwide. To date over 70 countries have begun work on this important project. Austria, Belize, Croatia, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Macedonia, Micronesia, Pakistan, Serbia, Slovakia and The Gambia have already issued the stamp. Together we will find a cure in the near future – that is his hope.
In July 2010, Dr. Bodai was nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal.
Read a bit more in the blog.
