Childhood Cancer

Floor Speech

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Mr. KUSTOFF of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of families and children everywhere who have been affected by childhood cancer.

This month, September, is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. As I think about the meaning behind this month, I realize that childhood cancer has had a significant impact on my district in west Tennessee.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, more than 15,000 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer each year. It is heartbreaking that any family must endure the pain caused by childhood cancer.

Thanks to the countless efforts by doctors, nurses, and researchers, the childhood cancer survival rate has now reached over 80 percent.

Back home, we are fortunate to have state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to childhood cancer research with personnel working each and every day to see that our children are receiving the best possible care.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis provides top-notch cancer treatment to nearly 7,500 patients from all over the world each year.

From medical personnel to volunteers to families sharing their testimonies, my area is filled with many who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of an end to childhood cancer.

Now, here in Congress, I have supported numerous initiatives to fight so that all children have a chance of survival. Most recently, I cosponsored and voted for the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, which was signed into law by President Trump this past summer.

The great Danny Thomas, the founder of St. Jude, believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. We have come so far to increase the odds of survival and recovery. But we won't stop there. I feel fortunate knowing that each day we are one step closer to finding cures and ensuring that every child has the chance to live.

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