SR0975 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0975 LRB103 40523 LAW 73020 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate the RUSH University System for Health and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on the occasion of their collaboration to create the RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society projects that in the coming year, almost 5,500 people will be diagnosed with cancer every day, the first time new cases of cancer in the United States are expected to cross the 2-million mark; and

WHEREAS, More than 1,600 people will likely die from cancer in the U.S. each day; and

WHEREAS, More than 70,000 Illinois residents will likely be among those diagnosed with cancer in the next year; and

WHEREAS, Unacceptable racial inequities exist in cancer mortality and must be addressed; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society also projects that the number of cancer survivors in the United States is projected to increase to 22.5 million by 2032, representing 5.4% of the population; and

WHEREAS, One of the leading reasons that more people are surviving cancer is years of public and private investment in developing cutting edge cancer fighting drugs, therapies, and techniques; and

WHEREAS, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which focuses exclusively on cancer and has been named one of the top two hospitals in cancer care every year since U.S. News & World Report began its annual rankings list "America's Best Hospitals" in 1990, plays a vital role in developing and delivering these new therapies and techniques; and

WHEREAS, The RUSH University System for Health consistently ranks among the top performers nationally in every major hospital rating system, including its very highly ranked cancer program; and

WHEREAS, The RUSH University System for Health is a national leader in establishing health equity as a system priority, ensuring accessibility to advanced treatments and therapies for cancer that leaves no one behind; and

WHEREAS, The RUSH University System for Health's high national rankings are driven by constantly improving patient care, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has a highly selective national partnership program; and

WHEREAS, On April 26, 2024, the RUSH University System for Health and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center announced the creation of the RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide Illinois residents with greater access to cancer treatments and research considered among the best in the world; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the RUSH University System for Health and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center on their collaboration in establishing the RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center in Chicago to enhance access to the most advanced cancer treatments and to seek to address the persistent inequities in cancer care in Illinois and across the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the RUSH University System for Health as an expression of our esteem and respect.