WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-01) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with U.S. Representatives Michael T. McCaul (R-TX-10), Sean Duffy (R-WI-07), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09) to reintroduce the RACE for Children Act (Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act) to support the development of innovative and promising cancer drugs for children.
The bipartisan bill, first introduced in the 114th Congress, would update the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) to reflect the latest advances in cancer drugs. PREA was enacted by Congress in 2003 to address the scarcity of information about how to treat children with drugs developed for adults, and therefore develop pediatric data during drug development. Although PREA has resulted in new information on how to treat children for a multitude of drugs over the years, there are still limited pediatric studies for cancer drugs.
“As co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the RACE for Children Act,” Butterfield said. “Researchers in North Carolina and across the country are taking promising steps in diagnosing and treating children with cancer. Still, the law lags behind the current advances in treatment of childhood cancer. This bill will update the law to provide researchers with the tools they need to accelerate the search for innovative, life-saving treatments for childhood cancers.”
“In Colorado and around the country, researchers are making dramatic advances to treat and cure cancer, but there is even more we can do for our kids,” Bennet said. “This legislation is a necessary update to our laws and has the potential to save thousands of children’s lives. I look forward to continue working with parents, researchers, and other advocates to advance this bill to expand treatment options for children.”
“Pediatric cancer impacts too many families in Florida and across the nation, including my own,” Rubio said. “I am proud to reintroduce the RACE for Children Act, which would encourage more treatment options for children battling against cancer. This bill takes a further step in extending medical advances in adult cancer treatment to children fighting this horrific disease. I am especially honored to reintroduce this bill on behalf of the many advocates who have relentlessly fought to get more attention, funding and resources for childhood cancer. I look forward to continuing my work with them to make this crucial legislation a law.”
“No childhood should be interrupted by a struggle for survival, but cancer tragically puts far too many kids in Maryland and across the country in a battle for their lives,” Van Hollen said. “Researchers at institutions like the National Institutes of Health have made important progress on cancer research, and our laws need to reflect this. Our bill would update statutes around drug development to reflect recent advancements to research, which will help save children and their families from the misery of this horrific disease.”
“The RACE for Children Act has the potential to increase access of life-saving cancer treatment and treatment for other serious illnesses for children by expanding pediatric studies,” Gardner said. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation paves the way for scientific breakthroughs and has the potential to not only mitigate suffering for pediatric cancer patients, but also save lives.”
“Researchers have made tremendous strides in fighting cancer in adults, using ‘molecular targeting’ to precisely attack cancer cells,” McCaul said. “However, current law does not reflect such advances in cancer drug development because these therapies have been under-studied in pediatric cancer. As the founder of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I am pleased to re-introduce the RACE for Children Act because it will modernize current law to require pediatric studies for the most promising and innovative cancer treatments. I look forward to continuing the good fight with my colleagues and the advocacy community to give hope to the approximately 15,000 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year.”
“We’ve come a long way in the battle against childhood cancer, but we need the RACE for Children Act to beat this disease,” Duffy said. “Our laws must be brought into the twenty-first century so that our nation’s children can benefit from cutting-edge research and development.”
“More children are lost to cancer in the U.S. than any other disease. In fact, before they turn 20, about 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will have cancer—a tragedy that touches too many American families,” Clarke said. “I’m proud to join with my colleagues in introducing The RACE for Children Act, which will help advance research into lifesaving cures. Together, we can promote the development of new treatments and combat this deadly disease.”
PREA does not apply to cancer because children’s cancers arise in different organs than adult cancers, and as a result, most pharmaceutical companies receive waivers from PREA obligations. However, scientific advances have shown that some childhood and adult cancers may share the same molecular targets, and cancer drug development is now focused on advancements in molecular targets.
The RACE for Children Act would update PREA by reflecting this new and promising approach to cancer drug development using molecular targets. Unlike the current structure of PREA, which applies to specific indications or specific types of cancer, this legislation would allow PREA to focus on a molecular target in a specific adult cancer when the same target presents in another childhood cancer. Currently, a PREA exemption may also be applied if the company studies the drug in an adult cancer that occurs in less than 200,000 patients. The bill would allow pediatric studies with a particular molecular target to still be considered for these cancers.
The bill is supported by the Duke University Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Nemours Children’s Health System, NYU Langone Medical Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, and more than 100 pediatric cancer advocacy organizations.
https://butterfield.house.gov
###
Economic Development Update 03/01/17
/by CharleneVGCC information session to spotlight health programs
/by WIZS StaffVance-Granville Community College will hold a Health Care Programs Information Session on Wednesday, March 15, at noon, in Room G1131 on the college’s South Campus, located between Creedmoor and Butner.
Information will be available about curriculum programs in Radiography, Histotechnology, Pharmacy Technology, Medical Assisting, Human Services Technology, Medical Office Administration and Medical Office Administration – Coding Specialist, along with Continuing Education programs such as Health Unit Coordinator and Nurse Aide.
The session is open to anyone interested in exploring opportunities in such programs, including current VGCC students and high school students considering college options.
After receiving information about VGCC, attendees will tour the curriculum programs that are based at South Campus: Human Services Technology, which trains students for entry-level jobs in the helping professions and includes special degree tracks in Gerontology and in Substance Abuse; and Radiography, the degree program that prepares graduates to skilled health care professionals who use radiation to produce images of the human body.
Histotechnology, VGCC’s newest curriculum program, provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare tissue specimens for microscopic examination using various stains and dyes to identify tissue and cell structures. The program is based at VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County.
Pharmacy Technology, also based at Main Campus, trains pharmacy technicians for positions in hospitals, nursing homes, private and chain drug stores, research laboratories, wholesale drug companies and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. The program offers both a diploma and an associate degree option.
Medical Assisting, based at the college’s Franklin County Campus, prepares multi-skilled health care professionals qualified to perform administrative, clinical and laboratory procedures. That program also offers both a diploma and a two-year degree.
Medical Office Administration prepares individuals for employment in medical and other health-care-related offices. Both a general and a Coding Specialist degree track are offered, along with Medical Coding Specialist and Medical Transcription Specialist certificates.
Continuing education programs like Nurse Aide, Medication Aide, Phlebotomy, Medical Office Assistant and Health Unit Coordinator offer short-term training and are offered at various locations throughout the year.
For more information, contact Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas at (252) 738-3397 or thomasa@vgcc.edu.
–VGCC–
Town Talk 03/01/17
/by CharleneCooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 03/01/17
/by CharleneHPD Crime of the Month: Individual injured after drive-by shooting
/by WIZS StaffPress Release: March 1, 2017
On February 25, 2017 at approximately 11:50 PM officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to Maria Parham Health in reference to a shooting into an occupied vehicle. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Nakiya Cheek who stated that while at a stop sign at Davis and Nicholas Street a vehicle drove pass and a subject opened fire into her vehicle. As a result Cheek sustained injuries from broken glass.
The investigation is being conducted by members of the Henderson Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. If anyone should have any information related to this case, they are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925 or the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141. Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information that may lead to an arrest. Callers may remain anonymous.
Authority: Chief M.W. Barrow
HPD Crime of the Month: Bullet Hole Found in Rear Window of Parked Car
/by WIZS StaffPress Release: March 1, 2017
On February 27, 2017 at approximately 8:45 AM officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to 84 Ranes Drive in reference to property damage to a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Kelly Puryear who stated that she found a bullet hole in the rear window of her vehicle.
The investigation is being conducted by members of the Henderson Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. If anyone should have any information related to this case, they are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925 or the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141. Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information that may lead to an arrest. Callers may remain anonymous.
Authority: Chief M.W. Barrow
Get M.A.D. and Make A Difference
/by John C. RoseThe local Henderson Family YMCA wants you to get M.A.D. in March and Make A Difference in the life of a child. Per information below from the YMCA, you can help and participate in a number of ways.
News 03/01/17
/by CharleneVGCC honors sophomore Vanguard basketball players
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team honored their departing sophomores on Feb. 17 at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. The result of the “Sophomore Night” game was a narrow 98-93 loss for the home team to Patrick Henry Community College. The hard-fought contest marked the last home game of the regular season for the Vanguards.
At halftime, VGCC head coach DeMarcus Oliver recognized four players completing their second and final seasons on the team — forward Antonio Adams of Oxford (a J.F. Webb High School graduate), guard Michael Henderson of Henderson (Northern Vance High School), guard Chris Pernell of Raleigh (East Wake High School), and point guard and Team Captain TyQuon Reid of Goldsboro (Durham Hillside High School).
Two of those sophomores, Reid and Pernell, led their team in scoring, with 26 and 25 points, respectively. Freshman NiQuan Cousins was not far behind, putting up 23 points while leading the Vanguards in both rebounds (17) and blocks (3). Reid also contributed 7 assists, and Pernell recorded 5 rebounds. Henderson posted 12 points. Adams had 3 points and 3 rebounds.
Pernell had been on a hot shooting streak going into the Patrick Henry game. On Feb. 9, he led the Vanguards in scoring, with 27 points, helping VGCC defeat Fayetteville Tech Community College at home, 96-93. In that game, Cousins was second in scoring (17 points) while Kenneth Finley, Jr., was third (16). Cousins led in rebounding, with 17.
Pernell was also the top scorer in the Vanguards’ 96-76 loss on Feb. 15 to Catawba Valley Community College. He put up 28 points that night, while also contributing 5 rebounds. Cousins recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds.
On Feb. 22, VGCC lost on the road to nationally-ranked Richard Bland College, 101-71. Cousins had the most points (24) and rebounds (14). Reid added 17 points and 7 assists. Pernell scored 11 points.
VGCC will compete in the NJCAA Division II Region X conference tournament, which starts March 4 at Richard Bland College in Petersburg, Virginia.
–VGCC–
Congressman Butterfield Reintroduces RACE for Children Act
/by WIZS StaffWASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-01) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with U.S. Representatives Michael T. McCaul (R-TX-10), Sean Duffy (R-WI-07), and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09) to reintroduce the RACE for Children Act (Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act) to support the development of innovative and promising cancer drugs for children.
The bipartisan bill, first introduced in the 114th Congress, would update the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA) to reflect the latest advances in cancer drugs. PREA was enacted by Congress in 2003 to address the scarcity of information about how to treat children with drugs developed for adults, and therefore develop pediatric data during drug development. Although PREA has resulted in new information on how to treat children for a multitude of drugs over the years, there are still limited pediatric studies for cancer drugs.
“As co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the RACE for Children Act,” Butterfield said. “Researchers in North Carolina and across the country are taking promising steps in diagnosing and treating children with cancer. Still, the law lags behind the current advances in treatment of childhood cancer. This bill will update the law to provide researchers with the tools they need to accelerate the search for innovative, life-saving treatments for childhood cancers.”
“In Colorado and around the country, researchers are making dramatic advances to treat and cure cancer, but there is even more we can do for our kids,” Bennet said. “This legislation is a necessary update to our laws and has the potential to save thousands of children’s lives. I look forward to continue working with parents, researchers, and other advocates to advance this bill to expand treatment options for children.”
“Pediatric cancer impacts too many families in Florida and across the nation, including my own,” Rubio said. “I am proud to reintroduce the RACE for Children Act, which would encourage more treatment options for children battling against cancer. This bill takes a further step in extending medical advances in adult cancer treatment to children fighting this horrific disease. I am especially honored to reintroduce this bill on behalf of the many advocates who have relentlessly fought to get more attention, funding and resources for childhood cancer. I look forward to continuing my work with them to make this crucial legislation a law.”
“No childhood should be interrupted by a struggle for survival, but cancer tragically puts far too many kids in Maryland and across the country in a battle for their lives,” Van Hollen said. “Researchers at institutions like the National Institutes of Health have made important progress on cancer research, and our laws need to reflect this. Our bill would update statutes around drug development to reflect recent advancements to research, which will help save children and their families from the misery of this horrific disease.”
“The RACE for Children Act has the potential to increase access of life-saving cancer treatment and treatment for other serious illnesses for children by expanding pediatric studies,” Gardner said. “This bipartisan, commonsense legislation paves the way for scientific breakthroughs and has the potential to not only mitigate suffering for pediatric cancer patients, but also save lives.”
“Researchers have made tremendous strides in fighting cancer in adults, using ‘molecular targeting’ to precisely attack cancer cells,” McCaul said. “However, current law does not reflect such advances in cancer drug development because these therapies have been under-studied in pediatric cancer. As the founder of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I am pleased to re-introduce the RACE for Children Act because it will modernize current law to require pediatric studies for the most promising and innovative cancer treatments. I look forward to continuing the good fight with my colleagues and the advocacy community to give hope to the approximately 15,000 children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer each year.”
“We’ve come a long way in the battle against childhood cancer, but we need the RACE for Children Act to beat this disease,” Duffy said. “Our laws must be brought into the twenty-first century so that our nation’s children can benefit from cutting-edge research and development.”
“More children are lost to cancer in the U.S. than any other disease. In fact, before they turn 20, about 1 in 285 children in the U.S. will have cancer—a tragedy that touches too many American families,” Clarke said. “I’m proud to join with my colleagues in introducing The RACE for Children Act, which will help advance research into lifesaving cures. Together, we can promote the development of new treatments and combat this deadly disease.”
PREA does not apply to cancer because children’s cancers arise in different organs than adult cancers, and as a result, most pharmaceutical companies receive waivers from PREA obligations. However, scientific advances have shown that some childhood and adult cancers may share the same molecular targets, and cancer drug development is now focused on advancements in molecular targets.
The RACE for Children Act would update PREA by reflecting this new and promising approach to cancer drug development using molecular targets. Unlike the current structure of PREA, which applies to specific indications or specific types of cancer, this legislation would allow PREA to focus on a molecular target in a specific adult cancer when the same target presents in another childhood cancer. Currently, a PREA exemption may also be applied if the company studies the drug in an adult cancer that occurs in less than 200,000 patients. The bill would allow pediatric studies with a particular molecular target to still be considered for these cancers.
The bill is supported by the Duke University Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Nemours Children’s Health System, NYU Langone Medical Center, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, and more than 100 pediatric cancer advocacy organizations.
https://butterfield.house.gov
###