National Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Day
Floor Speech
Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of a resolution designating September 26, 2013, as ``National Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Day.''
Childhood is a time for growing--growing bodies, growing minds, and growing hearts. It is a time for bike rides that end in skinned knees and sleepovers in backyard forts. It is a time for wondrous stories of Neverland and family board games. It is a time to learn the difference between right and wrong and the difficult discipline of homework. It is a time--a very brief time--given to us by God to live without fear or physical pain or without burdens and responsibilities.
For too many children, though, childhood is very different. Too many children in this country are forced to grow up far too quickly. The stark realities of hunger and poverty mature them and some have no choice but to learn the hard lessons of courage from the cruel, unyielding teacher of sickness.
Despite this hasty transition from storybooks to the harsh realities of life, these children remain beacons of hope. They inspire us. They challenge us to overcome our own trials which seem trivial in comparison to the heavy burdens they shoulder. They prompt us all to believe in the power of miracles because they have no other choice.
One such child is a friend of mine. He is a personal hero. His name is Jack Hoffman. Jack Hoffman is a 7-year-old boy. He was born and raised in Atkinson, NE.
Jack's early years passed like those of many children his age who live in Nebraska communities. He learned to fish and hunt. He went for long bike rides. He played sports. He started school. He made friends with many of his classmates. I am willing to bet little Jack has also had a fight or two with his siblings.
But childhood for Jack took a quick and unexpected turn on April 22, 2011--almost exactly 2 years ago--when Jack suffered a life-threatening seizure. Upon examining him, doctors had shocking news: Jack had brain cancer.
Jack immediately underwent surgery to remove this cancerous mass on his brain, but the surgery did not bring about the results they hoped for. As doctors desperately sought an answer, Jack's young body continued to be riddled with seizures. Within 5 months, he endured a second brain surgery which removed 95 percent of the remaining tumor. But despite this success, in April 2012 the MRI showed that Jack's cancer had returned and doctors determined it was inoperable. So Jack quickly began 60 weeks of chemotherapy, employing an outdated regimen used by doctors for over 25 years.
Unfortunately, diminished research funding for pediatric brain cancer has stunted medical advancements, so treatment options remain limited. But Jack and his parents didn't despair. They remain hopeful and determined to discover God's will in their hardships.
In a recent Omaha World-Herald story, Jack's father Andy is quoted as saying:
I don't know why God chose Jack to have this. But I do know that we can make something good out of it, and that's promote the improvement of treatments of this disease.
So the Hoffmans set out, they set out on a mission to raise awareness for pediatric brain cancer.
This is a rare but devastating disease that poses unique health and developmental problems for the 3,000 child patients who are diagnosed each year. Jack and other children suffering from brain cancer endure seizures, difficulty speaking, and trouble with their balance. The list, unfortunately, goes on. They spend long periods of time away from their families, friends, and classmates. They miss school, they miss football games, and they miss out on childhood.
The Hoffmans' fundraising efforts through the Team Jack campaign have yielded over $300,000, and it is all for pediatric brain cancer research.
Although there are countless worthy charities across our country, my husband Bruce and I feel a special connection with Team Jack, and we have worked very closely with the Hoffman family to increase awareness of pediatric brain cancer.
While Jack and his family have been friends of mine for many years, he was first introduced to most Americans when he became an overnight football star--complete with his own trading card--and he did this at the Huskers spring football game on April 6, 2013. Jack suited up with football pads and a No. 22 jersey, and little Jack ran 69 yards. He scored a touchdown in front of 60,000 screaming fans in our Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE.
In a single dash across the gridiron, little Jack Hoffman touched the hearts of millions of Americans, and that includes 7.6 million YouTube viewers, and he increased awareness of pediatric brain cancer.
It didn't take a touchdown, though, to make Jack a hero. He smiles through the pain. His courage and his resilience represent the very best of the human spirit and the very best of our Nation.
I admire the Hoffmans for their unwavering commitment to transform this very personal trial into a force for good. I am deeply grateful for all they have done to find a cure.
Today the Senate commends the Hoffmans, Team Jack, and all those Americans who work tirelessly to battle and bring attention to pediatric brain cancer. The resolution Senator Klobuchar and I are submitting recognizes the unique struggles of pediatric brain cancer for their patients and their families. It commends scientists, researchers, and health care providers working to modernize and improve the diagnosis and treatment options; and, importantly, it designates September 26, 2013, as ``National Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Day'' to encourage efforts toward the early diagnosis and treatment and ultimate cure for this disease.
So at this time I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 116, submitted earlier today.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source