Silver Spring, MD—Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would improve and expand the delivery of medical and psychosocial care to survivors of childhood cancer. ]]>
Silver Spring, MD—Representatives Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would improve and expand the delivery of medical and psychosocial care to survivors of childhood cancer. The Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2009 addresses the unique challenges of childhood cancer survivors – a population nearing 300,000 in the United States.
“I applaud Congresswomen Speier and Bono Mack for re-introducing legislation that will improve the lives of so many children who have survived cancer,” said Craig Lustig, Executive Director of the Children’s Cause for Cancer Advocacy (CCCA). “With so many survivors experiencing late effects of their treatment, it is critical that resources are made available to all childhood cancer survivors, especially those in minority or underserved communities.”
The Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act reflects the recommendations of the 2003 IOM Report on Childhood Cancer Survivorship, including provisions in the legislation that would:
- Expand cancer control programs, including surveillance programs and comprehensive control programs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to improve the health status of childhood cancer survivors;
- Establish grants at the National Institutes of Health to conduct research on disparities in survivorship, train health professionals in the delivery of follow-up care to childhood cancer survivors, and develop model systems of monitoring and caring for cancer survivors;
- Create grants to establish and operate childhood survivorship clinics for comprehensive long-term follow up services for childhood cancer survivors; and,
- Establish grants for childhood cancer organizations to improve physical and psychosocial care for childhood cancer survivors.
“This bill will significantly advance our understanding of how to improve the care and treatment for these survivors,” stated Susan Weiner, PhD, President of CCCA.
CCCA along with other members of the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, endorsed the original legislation in the 110th Congress, which was introduced by former Rep. Hilda Solis and garnered 40 co-sponsors. CCCA is a national organization that works to achieve access to less toxic and more effective therapies, expand resources for research and treatment, and address the needs and challenges of childhood cancer survivors and their families. CCCA also works to ensure that these needs and perspectives are integrated into the highest deliberations of cancer policy.
# # #
]]>