[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 262 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 262

Supporting efforts to raise awareness, improve education, and encourage 
     research and treatment of the psychosocial needs of children, 
  adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with a childhood cancer and 
                            their families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 2011

  Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. McCaul) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting efforts to raise awareness, improve education, and encourage 
     research and treatment of the psychosocial needs of children, 
  adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with a childhood cancer and 
                            their families.

Whereas childhood cancer is the number one killer of children by disease, more 
        than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and 
        pediatric AIDS combined;
Whereas approximately 2,300 children with cancer die each year;
Whereas childhood cancer results in the fifth highest number of life-years lost 
        to any type of cancer;
Whereas as a result of their cancer treatments, 15 percent of children with 
        cancer are diagnosed with anxiety, 10 percent are diagnosed with 
        depression, 10 to 20 percent are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress 
        Disorder, and 59 percent of children have a diagnosable mental health 
        issue;
Whereas as many as two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors are likely to 
        experience at least one late effect of treatment, including many 
        psychological and social disorders, and with as many as one-fourth 
        facing serious or life-threatening late effects, including neuro-
        cognitive and psychological, cardiopulmonary, and secondary 
        malignancies;
Whereas over half of all families with a child, adolescent, or young adult 
        diagnosed with a type of childhood cancer will file for personal 
        bankruptcy because of the cost of fighting the disease;
Whereas only one new drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration 
        specifically for any childhood cancer in the past 20 years;
Whereas despite the trauma caused by childhood cancer, there is a lack of 
        standardized and coordinated psychosocial care for the children and 
        their families, from the date of diagnosis through treatment and 
        survivorship; and
Whereas while efforts are being made by health care providers to address the 
        psychosocial needs of children, adolescents, young adults, and their 
        families, there is still a great need for more resources: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports efforts that raise awareness about all 
        childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers, such as 
        osteosarcoma, brain tumors, and difficult to treat childhood 
        cancers;
            (2) encourages the National Institutes of Health, the 
        National Institute of Mental Health, and the Substance Abuse 
        and Mental Health Services Administration to take steps to 
        address the psychosocial needs of the children, adolescents, 
        young adults, and their families living with childhood cancer;
            (3) urges public and private sector health organizations to 
        take steps to increase physician, nursing, and other health 
        care providers' awareness of the psychosocial needs of 
        children, adolescents, young adults, and their families 
        battling childhood cancer, as well as increase access to 
        readily available mental health services in support of these 
        efforts;
            (4) urges the Federal Government and the private sector to 
        invest in the development of new and improved psychosocial and 
        medical treatments and therapies for children, adolescents, and 
        young adults diagnosed with and surviving cancer; and
            (5) encourages the Federal Government and the private 
        sector to devote resources to find better treatments for and 
        build awareness of childhood cancer and to emphasize the 
        importance of the psychosocial needs of children, adolescents, 
        young adults, and their families battling childhood cancer.
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