The United States Postal Service is promoting a Hungarian stamp that has the same basic design as the 1998 U.S. Breast Cancer Research semipostal.

In a USPS press release, U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General John E. Potter is quoted as saying, "The image of the U.S. Postal Service's Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp that has raised millions of dollars to fund breast cancer research is now appearing on Hungarian postage to fuel funding for breast cancer research in that country."

"Since its inception in 1998, customers have purchased more than 650 million U.S. Postal Service Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamps to raise nearly $44 million for breast cancer research," explained Potter.

As a "semipostal" stamp, the U.S. Postal Service's Breast Cancer Research stamp sells for 45-cents and is valid for postage in the amount of the prevailing 37-cent First-Class Mail letter rate.

It is interesting to note that 70 percent of the net difference is paid to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 30 percent is paid to the Department of Defense (DoD). The NIH and DoD, which both conduct breast cancer research, were identified as recipients of the funds by the legislation enacted in 1997.

Hungarian postal officials commented in the release that the U.S. Postal Service was pleased to share its "successful and beautiful design" after receiving a request from Magyar Posta.

The stamp was designed by breast cancer survivor Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, and illustrated by Whitney Sherman of Baltimore.

For more information about the Hungarian Breast Cancer semipostal stamp, click here.