CONGRESS AND NHL TEAM UP TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER

CONGRESS AND NHL TEAM UP TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER
Young cancer survivors and families will be on the starting lineup with Senate and House members at Wednesday press conference for Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006

March 7th, 2006 - Washington, D.C. - Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jim Talent (R-MO), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH) will team up with the NHL and CureSearch Foundation, along with children and families who have struggled with cancer, during a Wednesday joint press conference to introduce important legislation encouraging the expansion of research programs aimed at preventing childhood cancer. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children, and more than 12, 500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

The bill – Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006 – is designed to provide funds to raise awareness about childhood cancer and support children and their families who are suffering from this disease. Cosponsors of the bill are Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Johnny Isackson (R-GA), Jim Talent (R-MO), Thad Chochran (R-MS), Jim Bunning (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) The press conference is set for Wednesday March 8, 2006 from 11:15 am to 11:45 am in the Senate Radio and TV Gallery (S325).

Each year, cancer claims the lives of over 2,000 children while an additional 10,000 are diagnosed with the disease. The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006, which will distribute $20 million dollars over a 5-year period. In addition to creating a biomedical research program aimed at curing and preventing childhood cancer, the legislation will establish a national childhood cancer registry to monitor the incidence of childhood cancers, support a long-term survivorship center and provide informational and educational services.

“I am proud to introduce the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act with my fellow colleagues to fight this terrible disease,” Coleman said. “Cancer is the number one disease killer of children and until we meet the day when every child can live a life free of cancer, we must continue to promote awareness and strengthen our investment in childhood cancer research. Our legislation will give a voice to the thousands of children and families in the United States who have been touched by childhood cancer. It provides the thousands of physicians, nurses and scientists the tools they need to find a cure.”

“I am pleased to join Senator Coleman in sponsoring this legislation that will encourage and expand support for pediatric cancer research and help families deal with this devastating disease,” Reed commented. “Childhood cancer impacts thousands of children and their families each year. While we have made great steps in treating cancer, there is still much more to be done. This legislation will help to provide resources to hopefully one day find a cure.”

“Like so many others in Missouri and around the country, my family has lost a loved one to cancer,” said Talent, who lost his mother, Marie, to breast cancer. “Our legislation seeks to help the thousands of children who suffer from this terrible disease with a new investment in childhood cancer research. We believe this bill will offer new hope in the search for a cure for the children who are coping with cancer and their families.”

“I am proud to co-sponsor this bill to strengthen childhood cancer research, diagnosis, treatment and awareness,” Isakson said. “It is critically important to increase our investment in this field because one child with cancer is one too many. I know that this bill will lead to great advancements in preventing and treating childhood cancer.”

House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce will also be in attendance at tomorrow’s press conference. Pryce has announced her intention to introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

"While much progress has been made over the last several decades, there is still more to do,” said Chairman Pryce. “Cancer still claims the lives of a great number of our children. Until we meet the day when every child can live a life free of cancer, we must continue to promote awareness and strengthen our investment in childhood cancer research to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment."

CureSearch – the world’s largest childhood cancer research organization – has teamed up with the National Hockey League (NHL) to raise money and awareness for cancer, and has worked closely with the senators in highlighting the needs of this important legislation. The NHL’s partnership with CureSearch is an expansion of the NHL Foundation’s “Hockey Fights Cancer” joint charitable initiative to raise money and awareness for cancer patients. Families affected by the disease, the President of CureSearch, as well as leading pediatricians and a representative from the NHL will also be present at the pres conference.

“CureSearch is extremely grateful to the Senate champions who are shining a national spotlight on the issue of childhood cancer by making children with cancer a public policy priority through the introduction of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006,” said Paul Burke, President of CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. “Thanks to their dedicated support and leadership, we are one step closer to reaching the day when every child with cancer can be guaranteed a cure.”

"The National Hockey League is dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer and proud to be associated with CureSearch through the Hockey Fights Cancer program,” said Ken Martin, Director, Community & Diversity Programming, NHL. “We are honored to be present for the introduction of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act. We believe this event will be a unique opportunity to spotlight the cause of childhood cancer, the tremendous leadership in the United States Senate and our shared effort to find a cure for childhood cancer."

Also attending Wednesday’s press conference will be Dr. Maura O’Leary, a practicing Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist for more than 25 years and member of the Children’s Oncology Group.

“Over my 35 years in the medical community, I have seen remarkable progress in the treatment of childhood cancer,” said Dr. O’Leary. “This has been due to the government’s commitment to research through the National Cancer Institute and the clinical trials network. Unfortunately, funding is now at 50 percent of our original budges and to continue with the research plans for the next five years, we will need additional support that will allow us to treat successfully the one in 330 children that will develop cancer in their lifetime.”

WHO: Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jim Talent (R-MO) Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH) will join with children and families who have struggled with cancer, Dr. O’Leary, a leading Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, and Paul Burke, President of CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

WHAT: Press Conference to introduce The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2006
WHEN: Wednesday March 8, 2006 from 11:15 am to 11:45 am
WHERE: Senate Radio and TV Gallery (S325)

*****this is directly from this site : http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=897&Month=3&Year=2006

I wish I could have heard about this sooner. But I wanted to post about it so that we could be aware of what is going on in congress in regards to getting more funding for childhood cancer.

David and I are going to work on a letter that will be sent to Senator McCain. We feel what could be a better time than now since he is running for President. We need to get our facts straight, so if any of you readers would like to send us anything you know, please feel free to email us @ michelleugarte@gmail.com. We need any information on NB, and childhood cancers in general. We will be doing A LOT of reaserch on our own, but help is always welcomed! =)