HR0858

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, Modern medicine has made amazing advances in 
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fighting pediatric cancer; pediatric cancer survivors are 
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faced with a unique set of problems because of these advances; 
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and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Cure rates for pediatric cancers have risen 
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dramatically during the past 20 years; it is estimated that one 
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in every 900 people, ages 16 to 44, is a survivor of pediatric 
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cancer; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Today, almost 70% of children that are diagnosed 
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with brain cancer survive treatment; this statistic calls into 
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focus the need to look at a child's quality of life in the 
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years following treatment; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Pediatric cancer survivorship can come with a 
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price in the form of long-term medical, financial, 
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psychosocial, and/or neuro-cognitive problems due to 
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chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The major expenses of a pediatric cancer diagnosis 
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and treatment program are associated with the direct costs of 
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medical care, including charges for hospitalizations, clinic 
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visits, medications, tests and procedures, home health 
 


 






HR0858
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LRB096 19799 GRL 35242 r




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services, services of doctors and other professionals, and 
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treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, 
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and bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Even well-insured, middle-class families with 
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health insurance can find themselves in financial distress 
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because of a single catastrophic illness; even when insurance 
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doesn't run out, health care costs can be staggering for the 
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families of children with cancer; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes that amazing 
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advances have been made in the treatment of pediatric cancer 
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and survivor rates; therefore, be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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designate the week of March 21-27, 2010 as Pediatric Cancer 
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Survivorship Week in the State of Illinois and urge the 
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citizens of this State to show their support for those who have 
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survived pediatric cancer.