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Childhood Cancer Act Signed Yesterday
By Margot | July 30, 2008
President Bush signed the Carolyn Price Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer act yesterday and the beautiful Eden Adams was there to see it happen. See the awesome article below.
I don’t want to sound complainy and say “finally” but this has been the School House Rock bill singing “I’m Just a Bill, Sitting here on Capital Hill” for way too long. Now all you young Einsteins starting out your research career, get to know the word “neuroblastoma. ” Oh yes, and hurry up. I’ll update our news tomorrow with pics…
Bush signs pediatric cancer bill named for Rep. Pryce’s daughter
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
By Jonathan Riskind
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Ron Edmonds | AP President Bush smiles at 8-year-old Eden Adams of New Albany in the Oval Office of the White House today after signing the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2008. On the desk is a photo of Caroline. 
Tim Revell | Dispatch
Legislators named the bill for Caroline Pryce Walker, shown here with her mother, U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, at home in Columbus in 1998.
WASHINGTON — They’ve been in a tough fight with a vicious disease, but two little girls from central Ohio emerged from the Oval Office and walked out onto the driveway outside the White House this morning with wide grins, official pins and presidential words of encouragement. Hannah Lewis, 7, of Reynoldsburg and Eden Adams, 8, of New Albany, who became friends as they underwent cancer treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, were among those on hand to watch President Bush sign a pediatric cancer bill into law.The Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act was crafted by Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, and named by lawmakers after her daughter, who died in 1999 after battling neuroblastoma.Both Hannah and Eden used the same word to describe meeting the president and first lady, being given presents and a tour of the Oval Office: “Cool.”The signing ceremony was not open to the press aside from still photographers, but Hannah’s mother, Jessica Lewis, said Bush told the families that he knew “we were going through a tough time and wished us the best.”Jessica Lewis and Eden’s father, Rourke Adams, said they hope the next step after President Bush’s signature will be for Congress to approve spending the first $30 million installment this year of what the law calls for: $150 million over five years for such initiatives as expanded pediatric cancer research and a national childhood cancer database. The single parents saw their friendship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which paid for the families to attend the White House signing ceremony, blossom into a relationship. “This is something we deal with every day,” Rourke Adams said about having a child who is battling cancer. Adams said it is his hope that a fully funded cancer database will in future years give researchers more information about why children develop cancer. After the signing ceremony, Pryce said she was “delighted” to see her legislation enacted.The president and first lady spent a lot of time with the children and families – including Hannah’s five-year-old brother, Duncan, and Eden’s brother Riley, 14 – before Bush wielded his signing pen, Pryce said. Bush lost his three-year-old sister Robin to leukemia in 1953 and Bush told Pryce he is looking forward to telling his parents that he got to sign the pediatric “This is a great step forward,” Pryce said. “We have been waiting for this day for years now.”
Topics: Progress Reports | 1 Comment »
July 30th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Imagine losing your 3 year old sister to cancer and then taking action 55 years later…must not have read the Lorax-‘unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot-nothing is going to get better it is not…’ ok, enough politics but micro studies are helping tremendously…today a report on a naturally occurring enzyme that paralyzes the hiv virus from mutating..allowing it to be controlled..from a researcher in Houston…this is great news..and all this is related..perhaps tomorrow the nb gene map will be announced and there will be a great advance…Forward!