For Immediate Release…                                                                                                                                                       Contact:  Peter Karafotas

May 22, 2008                                                                                                                                                                                          (202) 226-6898

 

 

Washington, D..C.—The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved H. Res. 1124, a resolution introduced by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) to establish National Brain Tumor Awareness Month in May..  The resolution was inspired by Linda Magiera, the mother of the late Lori Arquilla Andersen, who died of brain cancer at the young age of 35 years.  Shortly before the House voted on the resolution, Senator Edward Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. 

 

“The need for this resolution could not be clearer.  Senator Kennedy is one of the more than 190,000 Americans who is diagnosed each year with a brain tumor.  Our resolution, by helping to increase awareness, will improve early detection and support for additional research into brain tumors,” said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).  “I’m proud to have worked with Congressman Roskam to pass this bipartisan resolution that will help save lives by raising awareness of brain tumors.  Our resolution will help educate millions of people about brain tumors, and by increasing awareness, will help improve early detection and support additional research into this horrible disease.  It’s my hope that ultimately, we will find a cure for all types of brain tumors.”

 

“I was pleased to join my Illinois Colleague Congresswoman Schakowsky in this important effort to bring attention and renewed commitment to the fight against brain tumors,” said Congressman Roskam.  “The work Linda Magiera and others are doing to turn tragedy into a blessing for others facing this difficult disease is an inspiration to us all.”

           

Representatives Schakowsky and Roskam introduced the resolution after Des Plaines native Linda Magiera contacted them to share her daughter’s struggle with brain cancer.  After her daughter’s passing, Linda Magiera founded the Lori Arquilla Andersen Foundation (LAAF) in her honor to raise awareness about brain cancer.  Lori was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer just three months after her wedding and passed away from the disease 22 months later.  Lori’s mother and sister came to Capitol Hill in April to participate in a Congressional briefing about brain tumors hosted by Representatives Schakowsky and Roskam. 

 

Each year, more than 190,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with brain tumors, representing the third leading cause of cancer-related death among those aged 20-39.  However, because brain tumors are less prevalent than lung, breast or prostate cancer, this horrible disease often does not get the attention and research funding it deserves.  Brain tumors can have a devastating impact on the lives of patients and their families because it can change an individual’s personality, their ability to communicate, and their ability to walk or see.  Unfortunately, with over 126 different kinds of primary brain tumors, the development of effective treatments is uncommonly complicated.  The five-year relative survival rate following diagnosis of a primary malignant brain tumor is about 30 percent.  However, the average survival rate for patients diagnosed with aggressive brain tumors is less than 5 percent and most survive for only 6-12 months.

 

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