HR 256 — A Resolution designating the month of September 2025 as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.    1902

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 256
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, BASHLINE, CAUSER, CONKLIN, CUTLER,
        GALLAGHER, GAYDOS, GUENST, HOHENSTEIN, KAUFFMAN, KULIK,
        MARCELL, McNEILL, MERSKI, MOUL, NEILSON, PICKETT, RAPP, ROWE,
        STENDER, VENKAT, VITALI, WARREN AND WAXMAN, JUNE 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JUNE 11, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating the month of September 2025 as "Childhood Cancer
 2      Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates that
 4   approximately 9,550 children in the United States under 15 years
 5   of age will be diagnosed with cancer in 2025; and
 6      WHEREAS, Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of
 7   death in children under 15 years of age, exceeded only by
 8   accidents, and more than 1,000 children are expected to die from
 9   cancer in 2025; and
10      WHEREAS, One in 285 children in the United States will be
11   diagnosed with cancer by their 20th birthday; and
12      WHEREAS, The potential years of life lost to childhood cancer
13   and the potential years of life saved by treatment exceed all
14   other cancers with the exception of breast cancer; and
15      WHEREAS, Most children cannot be treated at a local hospital
16   and families must face the disruption of relocating to receive
17   treatment at a regional cancer center; and
 1      WHEREAS, As a result of major treatment advances in recent
 2   decades, approximately 85% of children with cancer now survive
 3   for five years or more; and
 4      WHEREAS, This is a significant increase since the mid-1970s,
 5   when the five-year survival rate was approximately 58%; and
 6      WHEREAS, Survival rates vary depending on the type of cancer
 7   and other factors; and
 8      WHEREAS, There is still significant progress to be made
 9   relating to childhood cancer treatment because many types of
10   childhood cancer, and some types with lower survival rates, are
11   very difficult to treat; and
12      WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a leader in the fight against and
13   treatment of childhood cancer, with six Children's Oncology
14   Group hospitals: St. Christopher's Hospital for Children,
15   Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Geisinger Medical Center,
16   Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Penn State Health Children's
17   Hospital and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and
18      WHEREAS, Penn State Health Children's Hospital is one of only
19   13 institutions nationwide in the Pediatric Oncology
20   Experimental Therapeutic Investigators' Consortium; and
21      WHEREAS, In 2024, Pennsylvanians contributed more than
22   $500,000 to the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund through a
23   donation feature made available during online license,
24   identification and registration renewals; and
25      WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians also contributed nearly $23,000 to
26   the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund in 2024 through the donation
27   option provided on State income tax returns; therefore be it
28      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
29   month of September 2025 as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" in
30   Pennsylvania; and be it further

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1      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage young
2   Pennsylvanians who are fighting cancer, honor young people who
3   have lost their lives to childhood cancer, express gratitude to
4   the doctors and nurses who provide special care to patients and
5   families affected by childhood cancer and encourage all
6   residents of this Commonwealth to join the fight against
7   childhood cancer.




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