On Sunday, I attended the funeral of Jacob Ellis, who devastatingly passed away at the age of 15 after a brief but vicious course of cancer. Jacob lived his all-too-brief life to the fullest, volunteering with local animal shelters, traveling the world to ride roller coasters, and baking desserts for his friends and family. My heart goes out to the Born and Ellis families and to all families touched by pediatric cancer, which has left a hole in far too many hearts. Almost every week, I am visited here by advocates for pediatric cancer research funding. I can think of no cause more worthy. In honor of Jacob and so many other young people who have passed all too soon, I am honored to be cosponsoring an amendment to the Defense appropriations bill allocating $2 million for research on pediatric brain cancer and spinal cord tumors. I will also work to make sure that we are developing medications and therapies for our youngest cancer patients that do not themselves cause residual injury or illness. I have heard from so many who developed a new cancer from a toxic medication they were given as a child. May Jacob's memory be a blessing, and may we never stop working until we have eradicated pediatric cancer from our world. ____________________
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