1Designating the month of September 2014, as "Childhood Cancer
2Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; honoring those young people
3who have lost their lives to childhood cancer; expressing
4gratitude to the doctors and nurses who provide special care
5to patients and families affected by childhood cancer; and
6encouraging all citizens to join the fight against childhood
7cancer in this Commonwealth.

8WHEREAS, Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of
9death in children under 15 years of age, exceeded only by
10accidents, and about 1,350 children are expected to die of
11cancer in 2014; and

12WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates that about
1310,450 children in the United States under 15 years of age will
14be diagnosed with cancer in 2014; and

15WHEREAS, The potential years of life lost to childhood cancer
16and the potential years of life saved by treatment exceed all
17other cancers with the exception of breast cancer; and

1WHEREAS, Most children cannot be treated at a local hospital,
2and families must face the disruption of relocating for
3treatment at a regional cancer facility; and

4WHEREAS, Due to major treatment advances in recent decades,
5more than 80% of children with cancer now survive five years or
6more; and

7WHEREAS, There is significant progress that still must be
8made with regard to childhood cancer treatment because there are
9many types of childhood cancer, and some varieties with lower
10survival rates are still very difficult to treat; and

11WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a leader in the fight against and
12treatment of childhood cancer with six Children's Oncology Group
13hospitals, which are St. Christopher's Hospital for Children,
14the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Geisinger Medical
15Center, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenburg, Hershey Medical
16Center and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and

17WHEREAS, Two of only ten institutions in the Pediatric Brain
18Tumor Consortium are in Pennsylvania, including The Children's
19Hospital of Philadelphia and Children's Hospital Of Pittsburgh,
20and Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital is one of only 11
21institutions nationwide in the Pediatric Oncology Experimental
22Therapeutic Consortium; therefore be it

23RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of September
242014 as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania; and
25be it further

26RESOLVED, That the Senate honor those young people who have
27lost their lives to childhood cancer, express gratitude to the
28doctors and nurses who provide special care to patients and
29families affected by childhood cancer, and encourage all
30citizens to join the fight against childhood cancer in this

1Commonwealth.