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A RESOLUTION recognizing September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness 1
Month. 2
WHEREAS, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children; 3
and 4
WHEREAS, one in 285 children in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer 5
by their 20th birthday; and 6
WHEREAS, 46 children per day, or 16,790 children per year, are diagnosed with 7
cancer in the United States; and 8
WHEREAS, the average age of diagnosis is six years old; and 9
WHEREAS, Kentucky ranks fourth in the country in the number of children 10
diagnosed with pediatric brain tumors; and 11
WHEREAS, 80 percent of childhood cancer patients are diagnosed late and with 12
metastatic disease; and 13
WHEREAS, on average there has been a 0.6 percent increase in the incidence of 14
childhood cancer per year since the mid 1970s, resulting in an overall incidence increase 15
of 24 percent over the last 40 years; and 16
WHEREAS, two-thirds of childhood cancer patients will have chronic health 17
conditions as a result of their treatment toxicity, with one quarter being classified as 18
severe to life-threatening health conditions; and 19
WHEREAS, many families of children with cancer rate the associated financial 20
costs due to out-of-pocket expenses as considerable to severe; and 21
WHEREAS, in the last 30 years, only six new drugs have been approved by the 22
United States Food and Drug Administration to specifically treat childhood cancer; and 23
WHEREAS, the causes of pediatric cancer are still largely unknown, and though 24
researchers around the world continue to pioneer new therapies and explore the root 25
causes of the disease, cancer continues to scar families and communities in ways that 26
may never fully heal; and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2023
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WHEREAS, families, caregivers, charities, and research groups across the United 1
States recognize September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to spotlight 2
pediatric cancer and survivor programs and raise awareness and necessary funds for 3
research and family support; and 4
WHEREAS, in this spirit, the Senate recognizes September 2024 as Childhood 5
Cancer Awareness Month, and urges all Kentuckians to do everything they can to bring 6
awareness to this horrible disease and how it impacts the children and families of this 7
Commonwealth; 8
NOW, THEREFORE, 9
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 10
Kentucky: 11
Section 1. The Senate hereby recognizes September 2024 as Childhood Cancer 12
Awareness Month. 13
Section 2. When the Senate adjourns this day, it does so in honor of those 14
children in Kentucky suffering from cancer and sends its most heartfelt prayers to their 15
families. 16
Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 17
Resolution to Senator Max Wise. 18