Improving the lives of young cancer survivors
Although the odds have improved, survivors of childhood cancer still face numerous challenges.
The Pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship and Quality of Life Act, also known as the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Act, or H.R. 4450, will help. This bill, which I authored, seeks to improve the quality of life for young cancer survivors so they may receive the care and support they need to lead long and healthy lives.
The initial diagnosis is only the beginning of a lifelong battle for a child with cancer. Even after successful treatment, more than two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors face formidable trials, including neurocognitive and psychological difficulties and cardiopulmonary, endocrine and musculoskeletal effects, as well as other complications or disabilities.
Children from underserved communities confront even more obstacles. Because of disparities in health-care delivery throughout the cancer-care continuum, minority, poor and other medically underserved communities are more likely to experience less-than- optimal treatment and have decreased survival rates and quality of life.
The Institute of Medicine noted these challenges and provided recommendations to enhance the delivery of follow-up care, increase education and training for health-care providers and expand research to improve the lives of childhood cancer survivors.
The Childhood Cancer Survivorship Act seeks to implement these recommendations. It would expand cancer control programs to improve the health status of childhood cancer survivors and establish grants at the National Institutes of Health to conduct research on disparities in survivorship. This legislation also would create grants to establish and operate childhood survivorship clinics providing comprehensive long-term follow-up services, as well as grants for childhood cancer organizations to improve physical and psychosocial care. The bill also would establish grants to develop model systems of monitoring and caring for such survivors.
We must not forget about children once they are declared “cancer free.” I hope that public support and that of City of Hope, as well as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, PADRES Contra El Cáncer, Children’s Cause for Cancer Advocacy, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Psychological Association will encourage my colleagues in Congress to pass this important legislation.
Hilda L. Solis
Supporters may contact their representative in Congress to support H.R. 4450, the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Act, to help improve the quality of life for all childhood cancer survivors.