Danny Davis: “children are one-third of our population and all of our future. If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us…”

“children are one-third of our population and all of our future. If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all. Today, we have the opportunity to ensure the best healthcare, research and treatment is provided for our children suffering with cancer. Our investment in children will benefit not only their future, but ours as well. At present, 12,400 children have been diagnosed with cancer. Typically, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under age 15. In 2005, cancer took the lives of 2,300 children. Our limited resources for childhood cancer have hindered the recruitment of investigators and physicians into the field of pediatric oncology. Not long ago, cancer was seen as a death sentence. But today we have hope as survival rates climb and new treatments are on the horizon. Both public and private sector investments must be made to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, post-treatment monitoring, and long term survival. We should provide incentives to encourage the development of drugs and therapies to treat pediatric cancers. Our American citizens deserve the best in healthcare and we must ensure that they get it. Let us continue to work together to fight childhood cancer and pass this bill.”