Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, each year in the United States, more than 15,780 children are diagnosed with cancer, equal to about 42 childhood cancer diagnoses each day; and,

WHEREAS, approximately one in 285 children in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer before their twentieth birthday with this number increasing each year; and,

WHEREAS, worldwide, there are more than 300,000 new childhood cancer diagnoses every year, which means every 3 minutes a family will hear the words ‘Your child has cancer’; and,

WHEREAS, childhood cancer is the leading killer of children by disease, and while great strides have been made to bring the five year survival rate to 84%, nearly 1,500 American children die each year from cancer; and,

WHEREAS, two thirds of children that beat cancer will face at least one chronic health condition later in life including possible heart, liver, lung damage, infertility, secondary cancers and growth deficits; and,

WHEREAS, the causes of childhood cancer are largely unknown and more research is needed to identify the most effective treatments for children; and,

WHEREAS, with more types and variances than adult cancers, cancer treatment for children often differs from traditional adult treatments due to children’s developmental needs and other factors; and,

WHEREAS, there are hundreds of children being treated for cancer in Virginia at University of Virginia Children’s Hospital (Charlottesville), Children’s Hospital of Richmond (Richmond), Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital (Falls Church) and Children’s National Northern Virginia (Fairfax), Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (Norfolk); and,

WHEREAS, Virginia is a caring state and community that supports children and families;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize September 2022 as CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations