Pryce's Pediatric Cancer Bill to Be Voted on Tomorrow

DETAILS TAKEN FROM OUR FRIEND KATE'S WEBSITE - THIS COULD BE SO VERY VERY IMPORTANT AS IT WILL INCREASE THE FUNDS WE NEED TO DO MORE RESEARCH AND FIND MORE ANSWERS AND THE CURE! PLEASE PRAY THE BILL IS PASSED!



Pryce's Pediatric Cancer Bill to Be Voted on Tomorrow
House to Consider "the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act"
Washington, DC – Tomorrow, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 1553, legislation authored by Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (OH-15) to dramatically increase federal investment in childhood cancer research. During markup of the bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the legislation was renamed the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008, at the behest of Committee Member Darlene Hooley (OR-5), in honor of Pryce's daughter, Caroline, who lost her valiant battle against neuroblastoma in 1999 at the age of nine.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously approved the companion bill, S. 911, sponsored by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), in November of 2007.
The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008:
Ø Centers of Excellence for Childhood Cancer Research: This legislation enhances and expands biomedical research programs in childhood cancer through an existing National Cancer Institute-designated multi-center national infrastructure.
Ø National Childhood Cancer Research Database: It will establish a population-based childhood cancer database to evaluate the incidence trends of childhood cancers and to enable the investigations of genetic epidemiology in order to identify causes to aid in development and implementation of prevention and treatment strategies.
Ø Outreach and Education for Pediatric Cancer Patients and Families: In addition, the legislation provides for education and information services to patients and families affected by childhood cancer to ensure they are aware of and have access to appropriate clinical treatment as well as the array of needed support services.
Ø Authorization of Appropriations: $30 million annually for 5-fiscal year period.
Important Facts About Childhood CancerSource: American Cancer Society's Facts and Statistics
An estimated 12,400 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer in the year 2007. 2,300 children will die from it.
Each and every school day 46 children, or more than two full classrooms of kids, will be diagnosed with cancer.
On the average, one in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in children under 15.
One of every 330 persons in the United States will develop cancer before their 20th birthday.
The median age of cancer diagnosis in children is six meaning that an entire lifetime is at risk.
The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown. At present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented.
Childhood cancer occurs regularly, randomly and spares no social, economic or ethnic groups.
Despite the advances in early detection and treatment, only two thirds of children diagnosed with cancer survive. Even though the majority of children's leukemias are now curable, mortality is still substantial among children with solid tumors.
In the United States, the incidence of cancer is increasing among adolescents and young adults at a greater rate than in any other age group, except those older than 65 years. The cause of this increase is unknown at present.
When you compare the federal research support allocated to each patient affiliated with AIDS, a child diagnosed with cancer is getting only one-sixth of it for every year of life saved. For every dollar spent on a patient with prostate cancer, less than 20 cents is spent on a child with cancer. Likewise a patient with breast cancer has triple the research resource allocated to her when compared to a child.
Knowledge about cancer can relieve anxiety, build trust, and streamline health-care delivery. However, information about treatment options, current and long-term follow up results are not easily available for pediatric patients, their parents, health-care professionals, insurance companies and the general public.
Survivors of childhood cancer can lead productive and fulfilling lives.