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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Modern medicine has made amazing advances in
3fighting pediatric cancer; pediatric cancer survivors are
4faced with a unique set of problems because of these advances;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Cure rates for pediatric cancers have risen
7dramatically during the past 20 years; it is estimated that one
8in every 900 people, ages 16 to 44, is a survivor of pediatric
9cancer; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Today, almost 70% of children that are diagnosed
11with brain cancer survive treatment; this statistic calls into
12focus the need to look at a child's quality of life in the
13years following treatment; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Pediatric cancer survivorship can come with a
15price in the form of long-term medical, financial,
16psychosocial, and/or neuro-cognitive problems due to
17chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The major expenses of a pediatric cancer diagnosis
19and treatment program are associated with the direct costs of
20medical care, including charges for hospitalizations, clinic
21visits, medications, tests and procedures, home health

 

 

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1services, services of doctors and other professionals, and
2treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy,
3and bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Even well-insured, middle-class families with
5health insurance can find themselves in financial distress
6because of a single catastrophic illness; even when insurance
7doesn't run out, health care costs can be staggering for the
8families of children with cancer; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes that amazing
10advances have been made in the treatment of pediatric cancer
11and survivor rates; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we designate the week of March 25 - March 31, 2012 as Pediatric
15Cancer Survivorship Week in the State of Illinois and urge the
16citizens of this State to show their support for those who have
17survived pediatric cancer.