Support pediatric cancer research

On Tuesday, June 24, my five-year-old daughter, Katie, and I walked all over Capitol Hill in Washington to meet with Illinois legislators to ask them for continued funding for pediatric cancer research.

Katie accompanied me as she is a pediatric cancer survivor whose life was saved due to a treatment protocol developed by research. Katie and I met in person with U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert, Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Peter Roskam along with the staff of Reps. Danny Davis and Mark Kirk. We thanked these representatives for passing the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008 in the House on June 12 with a vote of 416-0. We also met with staff from Sen. Richard Durbin's office as well as Sen. Barack Obama's office. Katie and I asked for the senators' continued support of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act and to help the legislation get to the floor of the Senate so it can be voted on. We also asked all members of Congress for their support of appropriations funding for FY 2009 to continue pediatric cancer research. Although this additional funding request is an earmark, it is an earmark that I would like to shed some light on. Cancer is the number one cause of death by disease in children. Every day, 46 children are diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer. Research will continue to save these children's lives, provided there is funding.

Please contact your representative in Congress and thank them for thinking of all the nation's children by passing the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. Please contact our senators in Congress to support the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. And please ask all legislators to continue to fund pediatric cancer research. Visit CureSearch.org to write your legislators directly.

Amy Hausman

Illinois Team Leader

CureSearch

Katie Hausman, age 5

Kindergarten graduate and cancer survivor

Naperville