Conquering childhood cancer

On behalf of all children with cancer in Missouri and Kansas, we would like to thank our legislators for passing the “Conquer Childhood Cancer Act” (Public Law 110-285).

This authorization law will more than double the money received from the federal government for childhood cancer research. It will provide an additional $150 million over five years for this needed research.

Cancer can be cured only through research. This will allow research studies to occur that could not have in the past because the National Cancer Institute did not adequately fund them despite their approval as valid scientific studies.

This legislation was needed because childhood cancer is the No. 1 fatal disease in children.

The potential is now there to greatly increase our knowledge about childhood cancer, improve treatment of childhood cancer and perhaps find a cure within our lifetimes.

This bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a 416-0 vote and passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent. Therefore, we owe a great debt of gratitude to all of our elected officials for supporting and voting for this law.

Thank you very much for supporting our kids.

Mark A. Mozer, M.D.
Missouri team leader for Cure Search National Childhood Cancer Foundation
Blue Springs