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READ MOREPublished on June 15, 2020 in Press Release
In the Senate, the resolution is championed by sponsor Lindsey Graham (R-SC), with the support of Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Martha McSally (R-AZ). The same group of bipartisan co-sponsors introduced a similar resolution last year, designating the inaugural Glioblastoma Awareness Day. Brian Mast (R-FL-18), Jan Schakowsky(D-IL-9), Jim Langevin (D-RI-2), and Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) are spearheading the effort in the House of Representatives.
The following is a statement from David F. Arons, JD, Chief Executive Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society, on the introduction of the resolution:
“Despite precipitating the untimely, tragic losses of two of Congress’s most indomitable figures of recent years, the devastating nature of a glioblastoma (GBM) diagnosis is still not well understood by much of the American public. Yet, these malignant brain tumors are one of the deadliest of all cancers, with an unacceptable survival rate of only six percent — a figure that has barely improved in four decades. Unlike other cancers, there is no current prevention or early detection available.
Following the death of Senator John McCain from GBM in 2018 — exactly nine years to the day following the passing of his former colleague and friend, Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy — the National Brain Tumor Society was grateful to work with a leading group of U.S. Senators to champion and establish, for the first time, a specially-designated day to honor and remember their two late colleagues, as well as every other American who’s been touched by this devastating disease. Thanks to the efforts of the original co-sponsors, a powerful day of action, awareness, and remembrance was inaugurated on July 17, 2019. NBTS was humbled by the outpouring of support and engagement for this critical cause from across the nation that day, and we immediately knew it was a commemoration we’d continue to seek to carry forward.
As such, we greatly appreciate that even more of our champions in the legislative branch have stepped forward to make this effort not only bipartisan, but now bicameral in 2020, with the introduction of the companion resolution in the House of Representatives.
We urge both chambers to swiftly take up and pass the Glioblastoma Awareness Day 2020 resolutions, and for all of America to join us on July 22 in recognizing the major burden GBM has, and continues to, impress on our nation; those who’ve we lost to this disease, as well as those still living with their tumor; all the caregivers and families who’ve been impacted; and, finally, the opportunities to accelerate progress to develop new, transformative treatments to defeat this terrible cancer.”
National Brain Tumor Society encourages and invites all Americans — especially those in cancer and neuroscience research — to come together to help us make 2020 a step forward toward a cure to glioblastoma. Join us at braintumor.org and GBMawarenessDay.org.