Posted: | May 22, 2017 01:41 PM |
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From: | Representative Kerry A. Benninghoff |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - September 2017 |
On June 2, 2017, I will be introducing a resolution designating September 2017 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Pennsylvania. This is an annual resolution and I thank you for your continued support. According to the American Cancer Society, childhood cancers make up less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed each year. An estimated 10,270 new cases will be diagnosed in children under the age of 15 in the United States. Childhood cancer rates have been slightly increasing for the past few decades. Because of major treatment advances in recent decades, more than 80% of children with cancer now survive 5 years or more. Overall, this is a huge increase since the mid-1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was less than 60%. Still, survival rates vary depending on the type of cancer and other factors. Although pediatric cancer death rates have decreased by nearly 70 percent over the past four decades, it still remains the leading cause of death from disease among children. About 1,190 children are expected to die from cancer in 2017. This resolution will encourage those young Pennsylvanians still in their fight, honor the young people who have tragically lost their lives to cancer, and thank the medical personnel for their care and commitment. I encourage all to join the fight against childhood cancer. Thank you for your consideration! |
Introduced as HR382