WHEREAS, Cancer is by far the leading cause of death by disease among children in this country; and

WHEREAS, Many children of California are afflicted with cancer, experiencing enormous pain and suffering, and they and their families require extraordinary levels of information and support in their struggles against this disease; and

WHEREAS, Successful prevention and treatment of many types of childhood cancer have not yet been achieved; and

WHEREAS, The conquest of cancer, a complex and intractable foe, requires a high level of commitment in order to provide the necessary resources and research; and

WHEREAS, 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; and

WHEREAS, Increased public awareness of this major public health problem is a crucial step toward finding solutions; and

WHEREAS, Childhood Cancer Month is an important nationwide tool for raising awareness among governmental officials and the public about the nature and scope of this problem; now, therefore, be it