President Bush Signs “Conquer Childhood Cancer Act” in White House Ceremony
Children with Cancer and Their Families to Benefit
July 29, 2008 (Bethesda, MD) – CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation is pleased to announce that President George W. Bush has signed into law H.R. 1553, the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, at a ceremony in the Oval Office.
This legislation was named in memory of Caroline Pryce Walker, daughter of Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-OH), who succumbed to neuroblastoma in 1999 at age nine, and will dramatically increase federal investment into childhood cancer research.
The bill passed the United States House of Representatives on June 12th by a 416-0 vote and in the Senate by unanimous consent on July 16th.
The original co-sponsors for this landmark bi-partisan legislation include Congresswoman Pryce, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Norm Coleman (R-MN).
The bill authorizes $30 million annually over five years, providing funding for collaborative pediatric cancer clinical trials research, to create a population-based national childhood cancer database, and to further improve public awareness and communication regarding available treatment and research for children with cancer and their families.
“The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act allows for translation of the very best research discoveries into clinical evaluation and practice, in order to improve the cure rates for all children with cancer,” stated Gregory Reaman, MD, Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group.
"On behalf of my colleagues in the Children’s Oncology Group and the children with cancer and their families who are our partners in clinical research, we thank President Bush and our nation’s leaders. Only research cures childhood cancer.”
CureSearch exclusively supports the life-saving research of the Children’s Oncology Group, the world’s premier cancer research collaborative. Treating 90 percent of children with cancer, the Children’s Oncology Group includes more than 5,000 experts in childhood cancer research and treatment, located at more than 200 leading children’s and university hospitals across North America.
At the signing, Pryce stated that “for any child or family who is embroiled in the fight against pediatric cancer, today is a cause for celebration and renewed hope. At long last, we will be harnessing our nation’s vast resources and expertise to put an end to a scourge that takes the lives of more than 2,300 children every year.”
“We are grateful to the President and to the United States Congress for their leadership in making the cure for childhood cancer an urgent national priority,” stated Stacy Pagos Haller, Executive Director of CureSearch. “Passage of this historic bill gives attention and support that is long overdue and much needed.”
About CureSearch
CureSearch seeks to conquer childhood cancer, conquer it sooner, conquer it fully and for all time. Through public education, advocacy and fundraising, the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) (3), supports the work of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), the world’s premier pediatric cancer research collaborative. This network of more than 5,000 healthcare professionals dedicates their lives to finding answers and sharing results. More than 12,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and more than 40,000 children and adolescents are currently in treatment. Only research cures cancer. For more information, visit www.CureSearch.org.