SR0612

LRB095 20527 GRL 48464 r






1

SENATE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, Modern medicine has made amazing advances in 
3
fighting pediatric cancer; pediatric cancer survivors are 
4
faced with a unique set of problems because of these advances; 
5
and

 
6
    WHEREAS, Cure rates for pediatric cancers have risen 
7
dramatically during the past 20 years; it is estimated that one 
8
in every 900 adults aged 16 to 44 is a survivor of pediatric 
9
cancer; and

 
10
    WHEREAS, Almost 70 percent of children diagnosed with brain 
11
cancer survive treatment today, a statistic that calls into 
12
focus the need to look at a child's quality of life in the 
13
years following treatment; and
 
14
    WHEREAS, Pediatric cancer survivorship can come with a 
15
price in the form of long-term medical, financial, 
16
psychosocial, and/or neurocognitive problems due to 
17
chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery; and

 
18
    WHEREAS, The major expenses of a pediatric cancer diagnosis 
19
and treatment program are associated with the direct costs of 
20
medical care, including charges for hospitalizations, clinic 
21
visits, medications, tests and procedures, home health 
 


 






SR0612
- 2 -
LRB095 20527 GRL 48464 r




1
services, services of doctors and other professionals, and 
2
treatment, which includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation 
3
therapy, and bone marrow or peripheral stem cell 
4
transplantation; and

 
5
    WHEREAS, Even well-insured, middle-class families with 
6
health insurance can find themselves in financial distress 
7
because of a single catastrophic illness; even when the 
8
family's insurance doesn't run out, health care costs can be 
9
staggering for the families of children with cancer; and

 
10
    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois recognizes that amazing 
11
advances have been made in the treatment of pediatric cancer 
12
and survivor rates; therefore, be it

 
13
    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL 
14
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we proclaim the week of 
15
April 6-12, 2008 as the Second Annual Pediatric Cancer 
16
Survivorship Week in the State of Illinois.