LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim February 2014 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the State
of New York

WHEREAS, Childhood cancer is a substantial public health problem in the
United States; the incidence of cancer among adolescents and young
adults is increasing at a greater rate than any other age group, except
those over 65 years; and
WHEREAS, Childhood cancers affect more potential patient-years of life
than any other cancer except breast and lung cancer; and
WHEREAS, Cancer kills more children than AIDS, asthma, diabetes,
cystic fibrosis and congenital anomalies combined; and
WHEREAS, Each year around 13,500 children are diagnosed with cancer in
the United States; and
WHEREAS, Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children
under the age of 15 in the United States; 1 in 5 children diagnosed with
cancer will die within 5 years, and 1 in 3 children diagnosed with
cancer will not live out a normal life span; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 11,630 children in the United States under the
age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2014, and about 1,310 of
those children are expected to die; and
WHEREAS, 91,250 lose their life to the cancer every year, 263,000 new
cases of cancer affect children under the age of 20 worldwide, and 720
new kids are affected every day; and
WHEREAS, One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of
20; and
WHEREAS, The causes of most childhood cancers are unknown; presently,
childhood cancer cannot be prevented; childhood cancer occurs regularly,
randomly and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic
region; and
WHEREAS, Cancers in children often are difficult to recognize; common
sites include the blood and bone marrow, lymph nodes, brain, nervous
system, kidneys, and soft tissues; and
WHEREAS, Some of the main childhood cancers include leukemia, osteo-
genic sarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyoma sarcoma,
brain cancers, lymphomas and Hodgkin's, retinoblastoma, and Wilm's
tumor; among the 11 major types of childhood cancers, leukemia and brain
and central nervous system tumors account for more than half of all new
cases; and
WHEREAS, Parents should see that their children have regular medical
checkups, a healthy diet, and 60 minutes of exercise a day, and should
be alert to any unusual symptoms which persist; and
WHEREAS, Some of these symptoms include an unusual mass or swelling,
unexplained paleness and loss of energy, sudden tendency to bruise, a
persistent localized pain or limping, unexplained fever or illness,
frequent headaches, sudden eye or vision changes, and excessive rapid
weight loss; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body reaffirms its commitment to encouraging
continued early detection and treatment of childhood cancer and access
to quality medical care for treatment and post-treatment options; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body further reaffirms its commitment to
provide children and their families with access to information and the
ability to interact with medical experts, researchers, and other
affected individuals and their families; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 2014 as Child-
hood Cancer Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York, and to Sunrise Day Camp, Oceanside, New York.