Sacramento CA: WHY Is September Declared Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?

News Release

September Declared Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Under Measure Introduced by Senator Jerry Hill

Legislation Inspired by the Memory of South San Francisco

Toddler’s Fight Against Neuroblastoma

The California Legislature has declared September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month under a Senate Concurrent Resolution introduced by Senator Jerry Hill and co-authored by State Senator Darrell Steinberg and Assemblymember Kevin Mullin.

In introducing Senate Concurrent Resolution 133 on August 11, Hill spoke of Juliana Peña, a South San Francisco toddler who passed away two years ago of neuroblastoma. The work of Juliana’s parents, Patricia Watson and Jesus Peña, inspired the Senate Concurrent Resolution to raise awareness of all childhood cancers.

“The genesis of this SCR was the parents of Juliana Peña, a child from South San Francisco who passed away from neuroblastoma in 2012 at the age of 2½ years old,” said Hill, D-San Mateo/Santa Clara Counties in presenting the resolution the Senate floor. “SCR 133 proclaims the month of September 2014 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and states the commitment of the Legislature to support efforts for research and to find cures for childhood cancer.”

“Cancer is by far the leading cause of death by disease among children in this country,” said Hill. “California has many of the world’s finest medical, academic, and commercial institutions, and must continue as a leader in the fight against this terrible disease. Increased public awareness of this major public health problem is a crucial step toward finding solutions.”

Juliana’s parents as well as her grandparents, Teresa and John Truttmann, were in the Capitol to observe the proceeding in the Senate. In a separate ceremony in Hill’s office, Patricia Watson and Jesus Peña received a resolution from Senator Hill commending them for their efforts to raise awareness of neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers through Juliana’s Journey, a foundation they established in memory of their daughter.

In recognizing their efforts, the member’s resolution said the foundation is “dedicated to Juliana’s memory and to all the brave children who continue to battle against neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers…”

The Assembly approved SCR 133 declaring September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month on August 25; and the Secretary of State’s Office chaptered the Senate Concurrent Resolution into the Statutes of 2014 on August 28.

“We can’t express how important this measure is to us and to the thousands of children and the families afflicted by Childhood Cancer,” said Patricia Watson. “Senator Hill’s passion and support for Juliana’s Journey Foundation is unparalleled and we’re so fortunate that he decided to take a stand alongside us. California continues to be the front-runners in medical research and this legislation propels our efforts to make sure we stay that way.”

“The need for awareness and funding for research is imperative and extremely urgent,” Watson said. “Less than 4% of funding goes towards Childhood Cancer Research -- and that’s spread across all 12 of them, compared to the 96%+ that’s allocated towards adult cancers. Although the small breakthroughs in research that have come to light in the last year couldn’t save Juliana, we’ve made it our life’s mission to make sure it saves someone else’s daughter or son.

“We promised Juliana that her fight would never end as she took her final breath in our arms, and that we would continue to battle against childhood cancer until we take our last breaths. She fought so hard and always with that big, beautiful smile on her face -- we have no right to not honor her by doing the same. We will always be her parents and her biggest advocates, we’re just doing it for the other brave kids that are continuing to fight today. If we can save just one life, our goal is complete.”

Photo Shows: From left, Teresa Truttmann, Jesus Peña, Senator Jerry Hill, Patricia Watson, John Truttmann in Senator Hill’s Office at the State Capitol on August 11, 2014.

Leslie Guevarra
Senior District Representative, Communications
Office of State Senator Jerry Hill

Office of Senator Jerry Hill
Contact: Leslie Guevarra, cell 415-298-3404

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Robert Riechel

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Photo Credit: San Bruno Patch Archives

Source Credit: California State Senator Jerry Hill

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