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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Awareness Day is |
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taking place on May 17, 2017; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, hundreds of children in the United States |
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are diagnosed with DIPG, a devastating and highly aggressive type |
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of childhood brain tumor; and |
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WHEREAS, Most commonly found in children between the ages of |
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five and nine, DIPG represents 10 to 20 percent of all pediatric |
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brain tumors and is the leading cause of childhood death due to |
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brain tumors; because the condition is difficult to treat, the |
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prognosis for patients with DIPG remains very poor, with a median |
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survival of just nine months from the time of diagnosis; and |
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WHEREAS, On December 10, 2016, Brock Hunter Fleming of Round |
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Rock lost his battle with DIPG at the age of seven; in response to |
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Brock's story and the experiences of other young people whose lives |
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were cut short by this terrible form of cancer, a coalition of |
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patient advocates across the state is taking action to raise |
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awareness of DIPG in conjunction with Brain Tumor Awareness Month |
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in May; and |
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WHEREAS, Developing effective treatment is crucial to giving |
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children with DIPG hope for the future, and Diffuse Intrinsic |
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Pontine Glioma Awareness Day provides a welcome opportunity to |
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promote education about the condition and to encourage support for |
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additional research; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize May 17, 2017, as Diffuse Intrinsic |
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Pontine Glioma Awareness Day in memory of Brock Hunter Fleming and |
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commend all those throughout the Lone Star State who are working in |
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behalf of the children and families who have been affected by the |
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disease. |