PRINTER'S NO. 1698
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
371
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, BAKER, BARRAR, BRIGGS, R. BROWN,
V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, COHEN,
CONKLIN, SCHLEGEL CULVER, CUTLER, P. DALEY, DAVIS,
DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, DRISCOLL, DUNBAR, DUSH, EMRICK,
EVERETT, FARINA, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN,
GREINER, GROVE, HARHAI, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HICKERNELL,
JAMES, KAUFFMAN, KAVULICH, M. K. KELLER, KILLION, KIM,
KINSEY, KIRKLAND, KLUNK, KNOWLES, KORTZ, LONGIETTI,
MACKENZIE, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MALONEY, MARSHALL, MARSICO,
MATZIE, McNEILL, MENTZER, MILLARD, B. MILLER, MILNE, MOUL,
MURT, NEUMAN, O'NEILL, ORTITAY, D. PARKER, PAYNE, PICKETT,
RADER, RAPP, READSHAW, ROEBUCK, ROSS, ROZZI, SAYLOR,
SCHREIBER, SONNEY, THOMAS, TOEPEL, TOOHIL, WATSON, WHEELAND,
WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD, ZIMMERMAN, WARD AND BRADFORD, JUNE 5, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 5, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of September 2015 as "Childhood Cancer
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania, honoring those young people
who have lost their lives to childhood cancer, expressing
gratitude to the doctors and nurses who provide special care
to patients and families affected by childhood cancer, and
encouraging all residents to join the fight against childhood
cancer in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, Childhood cancers make up less than 1% of all
cancers diagnosed each year and childhood cancer rates have been
rising slightly for the past few decades; and
WHEREAS, Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of
death in children under the age of 15, exceeded only by
accidents, and about 1,250 children are expected to die of
cancer in 2015; and
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WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates that about
10,380 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be
diagnosed with cancer in 2015; and
WHEREAS, The potential years of life lost to childhood cancer
and the potential years of life saved by treatment exceed all
other cancers with the exception of breast cancer; and
WHEREAS, Most children cannot be treated at a local hospital,
and families must face the disruption of moving to receive
treatment at a regional cancer center; and
WHEREAS, Because of major treatment advances in recent
decades, more than 80% of children with cancer now survive 5
years or more; and
WHEREAS, This is a huge increase since the mid-1970s, when
the 5-year survival rate was less than 60%; and
WHEREAS, Survival rates vary depending on the type of cancer
and other factors; and
WHEREAS, There is significant progress that still must be
made with regard to childhood cancer treatment because there are
many types of childhood cancer, and some varieties with lower
survival rates are still very difficult to treat; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a leader in the fight against and
treatment of childhood cancer with six Children's Oncology Group
hospitals, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, The
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Geisinger Medical Center,
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Muhlenburg, Hershey Medical Center and
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Two of only ten institutions in the Pediatric Brain
Tumor Consortium are in Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and Penn
State Hershey Children's Hospital is one of only 11 institutions
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nationwide in the Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutic
Consortium; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of September 2015 as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor those young
people who have lost their lives to childhood cancer, express
gratitude to the doctors and nurses who provide special care to
patients and families affected by childhood cancer, and
encourage all residents to join the fight against childhood
cancer in this Commonwealth.
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