HR0413 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Anyone, anywhere can be diagnosed with a brain tumor; brain tumors have no socioeconomic boundaries and do not discriminate among gender or ethnicity; and

WHEREAS, Brain tumors are the deadliest form of childhood cancer; the National Cancer Institute designates less than 4% of its budget to pediatric cancer research and only a fraction of that goes to brain tumor research; due to lack of funding, pediatric brain tumor treatment options have not changed in the last 30 years; and

WHEREAS, There are more than 120 different types of brain tumors; the exact cause for primary brain tumors are unknown, but there is ongoing research that is investigating the wide-ranging roles that genetics and environment may play; and

WHEREAS, Too many of Illinois' own vibrant children have died as the result of a brain tumor; the members of this body want to remember John, Leah, Liam, Maeve, Aidan, Donna, Gus, Jake, Abby, Danny, Octavio, Ross, Pat, Benny, Max, Miles, Hope, and the countless other children whose lives have been cut short or compromised by this disease; and

WHEREAS, Greater advancements to research and increased awareness of the diseases will maximize the chances for finding a cure and minimize the number of deaths caused by brain tumors each year; and

WHEREAS, The members of this body honor the work that is currently being done in our own State at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago toward addressing the challenges of pediatric brain tumors; under the leadership of Dr. Jason Fangusaro, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program at Lurie Children's is among the nation's top-ranked programs for clinical and scientific expertise and the quality of its services and staff, supporting patients and their families currently in treatment; and

WHEREAS, The American Brain Tumor Association and the National Brain Tumor Society currently recognize the month of May as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month; the Go Gray in May initiative focuses on pediatric brain tumors so that patients, families, and individuals become more informed about brain tumors, symptoms, treatment options, and considerations for caregivers alongside policy, trends, and research initiatives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate the date of May 15, 2015 as Go Gray in May in Illinois Day in the State of Illinois and urge the citizens of this great State to Go Gray by wearing the color gray in support of all the courageous families in Illinois, who, with the advocacy and support of organizations such as the John McNicholas Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, are working toward better care and a better cure; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the John McNicholas Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.