FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFrom: Martinez, Eduardo [Eduardo.Martinez@asm.ca.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 5:42 PM
Subject: Asm. Portantino Press Release -- Resolution Declaring September as Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma Awareness Month Clears State Assembly
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Eduardo Martinez
September 4, 2007 916-319-2044
Resolution Declaring September as Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma Awareness Month Clears State Assembly
Official state designation to bring greater awareness of blood related cancers and encourage participation in education and research programs
Sacramento – By an overwhelming margin, the State Assembly today voted to designate September as Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Month. ACR 71 (Portantino) received strong bipartisan support before the Assembly Floor.
“Remarkable progress has been made in treating patients with blood related cancers,” said Portantino. “ACR 71 celebrates the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in shedding light on these diseases, making the public aware of cures and therapies as well as providing education and support programs to help patients and their families with the best possible outcomes.”
Today, about 75% of children with acute leukemia and nearly 80% of children and adults with Hodgkin lymphoma are cured. Improved therapies and stem cell transplantation have dramatically improved survival rates for most blood cancers, even with patients that are resistant to treatment. Yet every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood related cancer, resulting in an estimated 52,000 deaths this year.
Since his election to the State Assembly last November, Portantino has taken a keen interest in promoting cures to blood related diseases. Minutes after being sworn into office, Portantino introduced Assembly Bill 34, legislation to establish the California Umbilical Cord Blood Collection Program. If enacted, AB 34 would establish California’s first statewide public umbilical cord blood collection program to promote the life-saving healing properties of umbilical cord blood. Like bone marrow, cord blood can be used to treat various genetic disorders that affect the blood and immune system, leukemia and certain cancers, and other inherited disorders. According to the National Marrow Donor Program, there are 35,000 people who could benefit from marrow or cord blood transplants each year, many of whom die as a result of being unable to find suitable matches. This problem is exacerbated for communities of color who are less likely to find bone marrow matches and suffer from diseases such as sickle cell anemia. Once fully implemented, AB 34 will collect cord blood for widespread public use, but especially in ethnically diverse parts of the state.
ACR 71 is expected to be approved by the State Senate next week.
Assemblymember Anthony Portantino was elected to serve the 44th Assembly District in November of 2006. The district encompasses Altadena, Duarte, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Temple City. It also includes portions of Arcadia, Monrovia, Mayflower Village and the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods of Glassell Park, Hermon, Highland Park, Mount Washington and Eagle Rock.
###
