Title: Expressing support for designation of the 17th day in May as "DIPG Awareness Day" to raise awareness and encourage the research into cures for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and pediatric cancers in general.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Expresses support for the designation of DIPG Awareness Day. ("DIPG" is diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a terminal childhood brain cancer.)
Encourages the National Cancer Institute and other research funders to elevate their consideration of the mortality rate of a type of cancer as well as the life years lost as factors considered during the grant application process.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 69 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 69

  Expressing support for designation of the 17th day in May as ``DIPG 
  Awareness Day'' to raise awareness and encourage the research into 
cures for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and pediatric cancers 
                              in general.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 30, 2017

    Mr. Knight (for himself, Ms. Speier, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. McCaul, Mr. 
Cardenas, Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Comstock, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
   Delaney, Ms. Brownley of California, and Mr. Soto) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for designation of the 17th day in May as ``DIPG 
  Awareness Day'' to raise awareness and encourage the research into 
cures for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and pediatric cancers 
                              in general.

Whereas diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) affects 200 to 400 children in 
        the United States each year with certain regularity;
Whereas brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children;
Whereas DIPG is the second most common malignant brain tumor of childhood;
Whereas DIPG is the leading cause of childhood death due to brain tumors;
Whereas the median survival time is only 9 months post diagnosis with treatment;
Whereas 5-year survival is less than 1 percent;
Whereas given the age at diagnosis and the average life expectancy, the number 
        of life years lost annually because of DIPG is approximately 25,000 
        years of person life lost (calculated as the number of children 
        diagnosed by average of male and female life expectancy from that median 
        age, 300  x  80 = 25,000 years of person life lost annually);
Whereas prognosis has not improved for children with DIPG in over 40 years; and
Whereas government funding for research for pediatric cancer as a singular 
        designation has been represented by less than 4 percent of the National 
        Cancer Institute budget in any given year: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``DIPG Awareness Day'';
            (2) encourages all people of the United States to become 
        more informed about diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) 
        pediatric brain cancer, and the current challenges to the 
        medical research system in designating sufficient research 
        funding for pediatric cancers;
            (3) supports expanded research to better understand DIPG, 
        develop effective treatments, and provide comprehensive care 
        for children with DIPG and their families; and
            (4) encourages the National Cancer Institute and other 
        research funders to elevate their consideration of mortality 
        rate of a type of cancer as well as the life years lost as 
        significant factors considered during the grant application 
        process.
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