Brenham Banner Press
Published:
Monday, June 22, 2009 1:19 PM CDT

A Brenham couple is again serving as team leaders of a delegation from Texas pushing for cancer research funds.

Tim and Donna Culliver will be among those attending "Reach the Day" this week in Washington, D.C.

"Reach the Day" is expected to draw more than 400 families affected by childhood cancers. The rally is being held "to keep childhood cancer on the congressional front burner," said the Cullivers, whose son Andrew will also be making the trip.

The Cullivers son Adam died in 2003 at age 4 from a rare form of cancer. Since then, the family has been vocal advocates of additional funding for children's cancer research, annually making the trip to Washington, D.C. to lobby lawmakers.
Advances in childhood cancer have been dramatic - 40 years ago cure rates were less than 10 percent; today 78 percent overall are said to be cured.

In 2008, Congress unanimously passed a bill authorizing $150 million ($30 million each year) to expand pediatric cancer research, awareness and to create the national childhood cancer research registry. President Bush signed the bill on July 29, 2008.

But advocates are fearful that the current economic situation and growing federal deficit might threaten childhood cancer funding.

"On behalf of the families affected by childhood cancer, caregivers and providers, we applaud Congress for passing the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act," said Stacy Pagos Haller, executive director of the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. "But to make sure that every child is guaranteed a healthy, happy life, we must urge Congress to fully fund this bill."

"Reach the Day" is sponsored by CureSearch Reach. Activities include Capitol Hill visits to members of Congress, addresses from congressional leaders, and an outdoor rally -- all designed to keep the momentum going and to ensure the Federal funding of childhood cancer research.

Despite the progress in childhood cancer, about one in five children continues to die and cancer remains the number one leading cause of childhood death from disease.

The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act 2008 authorized $150 million over a five-year period to expand support for biomedical research programs National Cancer Institute-designated multi-center national infrastructure for pediatric cancer research, establish a population-based national childhood cancer registry, enable researchers to more accurately study the incidence of childhood cancers and long-term effects of childhood cancer.

"Each day that pediatric cancer research goes under-funded, the road to discovering new treatments and cures become longer, and more children die," said Dr. Gregory Reaman, chairman of the Children's Oncology Group. "Only research cures childhood cancer. With proper funding levels - we can conquer childhood cancer."

Congress has formed the first Pediatric Cancer Caucus - members of Congress dedicated to conquering childhood cancer. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) will announce the creation of the caucus Tuesday during the "Reach the Day" rally. Sestak also will announce that Congress will proclaim Sept. 12 as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day.

"Each year, more than 12,500 children are diagnosed with cancer and more than 2,000 of these young lives are unnecessarily lost," said Sestak. "I retired from the U.S. Navy when my own daughter was diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor.

"As I lived in a pediatric oncology ward, I became particularly aware of the promise that cancer research could offer for so many in this country, by allowing more patients to survive and improving their quality of life.

"I am honored to chair the first Pediatric Cancer Caucus. The caucus will be fortunate to have CureSearch as a dedicated partner in fighting for the often voiceless victims of cancer of this horrible disease".