Take Action to Ensure Funding for Childhood Cancer Data Collection and Reporting Activities

March 14, 2012

Dear Childhood Cancer Advocate:

On March 13, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) sent a letter to Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Committee requesting funding for childhood cancer surveillance activities in the fiscal year (FY) 2013 appropriations bill. We are asking for your support in this effort – please contact your Senators and ask that they sign Senator Reed and Isakson’s letter.

The Reed-Isakson letter specifically asks that the committee provide funding to improve childhood cancer surveillance conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These efforts enable researchers to monitor trends and incidences of childhood cancer to better understand the disease, ensure appropriate treatment, and track long-term health outcomes. These goals are consistent with the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, which was signed into law in 2008.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Educations Appropriations Committee has provided funding to the CDC for these activities in the past, which has helped states transform information technology infrastructure through the expansion of electronic reporting. This activity has allowed researchers to rapidly report critical information to state cancer registries. Capturing this data will expand our knowledge about childhood cancer patterns – including diagnoses, treatments, and survivorship – and ultimately enhance treatment for children with cancer.

Please take action today by contacting your Senators and urging them to sign Senator Reed and Isakson’s letter in support of funding for childhood cancer surveillance by filling out the form below.

Thank you for adding your voice to this very important cause.

Sincerely,
The CCCA Team

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Message To Send:

Dear Senator/Representative:

On Tuesday, June 5, 250 advocates will visit Capitol Hill during Childhood Cancer Action Days. As a constituent who cares about children with cancer, I urge you to meet with advocates who visit your office and support the issues they present, including:

-- New and more effective drugs for children with cancer:  Helping to improve and accelerate access to life saving treatments is one of several pediatric drug development provisions included in FDA Reform Act of 2012 (also known as the FDA Safety and Innovation Act), which is currently making its way through Congress.
-- Improved treatments for childhood cancer survivors: With more than 350,000 young cancer survivors living in the U.S., and three-fourths of them suffering a chronic condition or late-effect from their cancer treatments, better programs are needed for their follow-up care, psychosocial services, and adjustment to adult life as outlined in The Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act.
-- Encouraging members of Congress to work together to help kids with cancer by encouraging House members to join the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, a bipartisan group working to improve the lives of children with cancer.

Childhood cancer is the #1 disease killer of children in the United States, with more than 13,500 children diagnosed with this disease every year in our country.

I hope I can count on you to support these issues and give children with cancer the support they need and deserve.

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Subject:

Take Action to Ensure Funding for Childhood Cancer Data Collection and Reporting Activities