[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 8705 of September 1, 2011

National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Across America, thousands of courageous children fight pediatric cancer
each year, facing life-threatening battles that would challenge men and
women of any age. They are cared for by loving families, friends, and
communities who band together to support children in times of great
need. From raising money for research and hospital stays to offering
compassionate assistance to families who have lost loved ones, Americans
are working every day to combat childhood cancer.
Today, research advances have made pediatric cancer more treatable than
ever before. The five-year survival rate for young patients has risen to
80 percent in the past half century, but serious challenges remain.
Children who survive cancer frequently struggle with significant
complications later in life and researchers are working to develop
treatments specifically for pediatric cancer. We still know too little
about the causes in young people, and cancer remains the leading cause
of death by disease for children in America under the age of 15.

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As we work to better understand and combat these destructive diseases,
my Administration is working to lift some of the burden on families
affected by them. Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance
companies can no longer deny insurance to children because of pre-
existing conditions, meaning that children who are currently suffering
from or have survived cancer must be covered. Insurance companies are
also banned from rejecting insurance for children participating in
clinical studies, in which the vast majority of children with cancer
take part. And the Affordable Care Act prohibits insurance companies
from imposing lifetime dollar limits on health benefits--freeing cancer
patients and their families from worry of long-term treatment
affordability. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute continues to
conduct and fund research on the causes of these diseases, linking
research on genetics and adult cancers to more effective treatments for
children.
Too many children and their families have faced the harmful effects of
cancer. In memory of the young lives taken from us far too soon, and in
honor of the families who stood beside them, we continue to support
researchers, doctors, and advocates working to improve treatments, find
cures, and reach a tomorrow where all our children can lead full and
healthy lives.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2011 as
National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I also encourage all
Americans to join me in reaffirming our commitment to fighting childhood
cancer.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.
BARACK OBAMA