Thanks to new legislation, a lottery ticket has been named as the “Carolyn Adams Ticket for the Cure,” because it provides funding for breast cancer research. National lottery

“Access to quality healthcare is a basic right, and Illinoisans – particularly those who are fighting cancer – should not be denied coverage for participating in trials that might save their lives. It is important that Illinois takes the lead in increasing women’s access to new science that can save lives,” said Gov. Pat Quinn of Illinois, who signed the new legislation.

Adams, who grew up in Chicago’s Roseland, was the superintendent of the Illinois Lottery from 2003 until her death at age 44 from breast cancer in 2007. Lottery numbers

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 8,700 Illinois women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, and more than 1,700 died from it.

The bill was sponsored by Illinois Sens. Mattie Hunter and Jacqueline Collins, and Illinois Reps. Constance Howard and Mary Flowers.

“It was important to get this legislation passed and signed because it honors a very positive African American woman,” explained Hunter. “This woman was committed to fighting breast cancer even during her own personally bout with it.”

Hunter admits that when she was working on the originally legislation in 2005, she did not know that Adams was battling breast cancer on her own. “She would leave around noon for lunch but was really going to Northwestern Hospital for treatment,” recalls Hunter. “And even though she would show up to work the next day a little weak, I never suspected she had cancer.”

According to the Illinois Lottery, since its inception, the “Ticket for Cure” has generated $8.5 million in revenues. In 2010 the Illinois Lottery grossed $2.2 billion in sales, which was a slight increase from 2009 when it grossed $2.1 billion. And in 2009 it paid $1.2 billion in winnings and $1.27 billion last year.

Also, based on an examiner.com analysis of state records, much of the lottery revenue over the last two years came from sales generated in predominately black communities on the South and West sides. Areas like Chicago’s Greater Grand Crossing and Chat-ham communities grossed $27.7 million in 2009 and $28.7 million in 2010. And Roseland and West Pullman communities grossed $21.4 million in 2009 and $21.7 million in 2010.

The Illinois Lottery was founded in 1974 to raise additional money to fund public schools. State records show that in 2009 and 2010 the Illinois Lottery paid $625 million into the Common School Fund, which is a state fund used to help finance public schools.

Unlike other lottery tickets, for this particular ticket, 100 percent of the proceeds go to fund breast cancer research and the money from the ticket is to be distributed to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which provides grants to private and non-profit organizations to fund research on breast cancer and to provide other health and general services for breast cancer victims.