Welcome to Part II of a special audio presentation of the DIPG Awareness Resolution Celebration and Tribute to DIPG Angels, formatted specially for Childhood Cancer Talk Radio.
DIPG represents the hidden, untold story of childhood cancer, in a society informed mainly by commercials asserting that 80% of children survive cancer due to our success with certain types of leukemia. DIPG is not the success story industry would like to promote, as it points to our failure in accommodating the most urgent needs of our most vulnerable populations; all childhood cancers are marginalized as rare and receive inadequate attention into cures. Rather than detracting from COVID-19, H. Res. 114 supports the call to accommodate our children in most urgent need of help. The virus will come and go; DIPG will continue to kill our children with annual consistency.
DIPG exemplifies in a powerful way the challenges in treating pediatric cancer and the daily tragedies which ensue from the general lack of solutions our current medical research industry has for deadly pediatric disease.
We are happy to announce that, as the National DIPG Awareness Resolution continues to gain support in the House of Representatives, the US Senate has passed the 2020 DIPG/Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Resolution unanimously in May, introduced by Senator Rubio of Florida, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Senator Braun of Indiana, Senator Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, and Senator Casey of Pennsylvania.
Today we honor the ongoing work of Kristen Gillette, with the Kortney Rose Foundation in Oceanside, NJ, and her original and continuing support of the Children’s Brain Tumor tissue consortium, and the life of her uniquely bright and sweet daughter Kortney.
Jenny and Mark Mosier, with the Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation in Bethesda, MD, and their crucial contributions to DIPG research as well as their DIPG Across the Map Campaign to have May 17 recognized as DIPG Awareness Day. Today we honor the life of their son, Michael who inspired this movement.
Bonnie Woodworth in Brandon, FL serves as is a Board Member and Legislative Director for 1Voice Foundation in Tampa, Fl; she is the Communications Director for the American Board of Pathology, and has provided editorial assistance to the Alliance for Childhood Cancer. Today we honor her beautiful daughter Tatumn.
And finally, Sam and Richard Perkins, long-time advocates for the National Brain Tumor Society and the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, join us to share with us memories of their son Sam, a gifted musical artist and an exceptionally kind and gentle soul.
