Assembly Resolution No. 435

BY: M. of A. Beephan

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
September 15, 2023, as Lymphoma Awareness Day in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious
illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 15, 2023, as
Lymphoma Awareness Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of World Lymphoma Awareness Day; and

WHEREAS, Lymphoma Awareness Day will be celebrated each year on the
15th, during the month of September, which was recognized as Blood
Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) by the United States Congress in 2010; and

WHEREAS, The blood cancer community uses BCAM and Lymphoma Awareness
Day to raise awareness and educate others about lymphoma and other blood
cancers; and

WHEREAS, Lymphoma is the most common form of blood cancer and the
third most common cancer of childhood, and is a cancer that affects
lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell that travel through
the blood and lymphatic system to defend the body against foreign
invaders like bacteria and viruses; and

WHEREAS, Lymphomas usually develop when a change, or mutation,
occurs within a lymphocyte, causing the abnormal cell to replicate
faster than, or live longer than, a normal lymphocyte; and

WHEREAS, More than 70,000 new cases of lymphoma are diagnosed each
year in the United States, including 5,150 in New York State; Cristal
Hammond is one of those people, having been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma on June 6, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Since then, Cristal Hammond has bravely battled this
disease and perseveres in her fight to win the battle over Non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma; and

WHEREAS, There are many subtypes of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,
including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma; and

WHEREAS, A cure for lymphoma can only be realized through advanced
cancer research; and

WHEREAS, Awareness and education are powerful tools in the race to
find a cure for lymphoma; the health and vitality of the people of New
York are significantly enhanced by local efforts to increase
communication and education pertaining to blood cancers; and

WHEREAS, Lymphoma Awareness Day helps to raise general awareness of
the disease and provides hope to all those affected by a lymphoma
diagnosis; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 15, 2023, as
Lymphoma Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York, and to Cristal Hammond.