Today, Senator Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) shared his experience battling childhood cancer as an invited guest to the Biden Cancer Moonshot Roundtable on State Advocacy for Childhood Cancer in Washington, DC.
“As a survivor of childhood cancer, I understand the struggles that children and families endure when navigating the complexities of this devastating disease,” said Sen. Bucco. “Cancer doesn’t care which party you belong to so when we put our partisanship aside and get down to business, we can improve treatments and survival rates.”
“In New Jersey, we showed that legislators of both parties can work together to deliver significant bipartisan pediatric cancer research funding to help sick kids. It’s my hope our leaders in Washington from both parties can do the same, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support their efforts,” added Bucco.
In the United States, nearly 15,000 children aged 0-19 are diagnosed with cancer each year. Pediatric cancers differ from adult cancers in causes, treatments, and long-term effects, and children with cancer and their families face distinct financial, emotional, and care challenges. In New Jersey, Bucco helped lead efforts to deliver $10 million in new research funding alongside the Rutgers Cancer Institute.
“I want to thank the Administration for their efforts to tackle this very important topic and for giving me the opportunity to share my story and play a role in ensuring our children live their lives to the fullest,” Bucco concluded.
The Biden Cancer Moonshot brings together a diverse set of federal and state policymakers, healthcare experts, and childhood cancer advocates from across the country to develop strategies and share best practices to maximize state programs, including cancer action plans and Medicaid, to address childhood cancer, and generate commitments from participants to implement these strategies to improve childhood cancer outcomes.
