CHICAGO, April 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) applauded the introduction of a bipartisan resolution designating May as “Brain Tumor Awareness Month.” The resolution was introduced by Representative Mike Quigley (D-IL) and co-sponsored by 29 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We deeply appreciate the leadership taken by Representative Quigley, not only on this resolution but also on his overall efforts to expand federal research funding to include brain tumors,” said Elizabeth Wilson, president and CEO, American Brain Tumor Association. “We hope this resolution will bring wider attention to the need for more effective treatment options for the nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. living with a brain tumor.”
The resolution supports the designation of May 2016 as National Brain Tumor Awareness Month, and encourages increased public awareness of brain tumors to honor those who have lost their lives to this devastating disease or are currently living with a brain tumor diagnosis. The resolution also calls for the development of better treatments and a collaborative public-private approach to brain tumor research.
“Every year, brain tumors claim the lives of nearly 17,000 people in this country alone and dramatically disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands more who are impacted by this devastating diagnosis,” said Wilson. “The ABTA is proud to support this resolution, and applauds efforts toward increased funding of brain tumor research.”
Brain tumors do not discriminate. Primary brain tumors - those that begin in the brain and tend to stay in the brain - occur in people of all ages, but they are statistically more frequent in children and older adults. Nearly 78,000 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed this year. Malignant brain tumors are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 and the most common cancer occurring among 15-19 year olds. However, metastatic brain tumors - those that begin as a cancer elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain - are the most common of all brain tumors.
The American Brain Tumor Association thanks the following members of Congress who have agreed to serve as original co-sponsors of the resolution:
Representatives Tim Murphy (R-PA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Greg Meeks (D-NY), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), John Carney (D-DE), Mark Amodei (R-NV), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Jim Renacci (R-OH), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Gerald Connolly (D-VA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), John Conyers (D-MI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRAIN TUMOR ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1973, the American Brain Tumor Association was the first and is the only national advocacy organization committed to funding brain tumor research and providing education and information on all tumor types and for all age groups. For more information visit www.abta.org or call 800-886-ABTA (2282).
CONTACT:
Julie Landmesser
219-201-4228
jlandmesser@abta.org
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SOURCE American Brain Tumor Association
