Local governments raise awareness of childhood cancer with proclamations

Courthouse dome will be lighted up in gold color for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Provided photo

HOLLEY – Mayor Mark Bower, second from left, issued a proclamation from the Holley Village Board on Tuesday declaring September as “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.” He is shown with Diane Valentine, left, and Tina and Jeremy Neal.

Valentine’s son Evan Valentine, age 18, passed away from acute myeloid leukemia on Feb. 21, 2021.

The Neals’ son, Byron, passed away at age 8 from cancer on April 14, 2023.

They are among several local families with children affected by cancer. The proclamation from the Village of Holley is part of an effort to raise awareness of childhood cancer, and boost funding for research.

The Murray Town Board also plans to issue a proclamation during its board meeting on Sept. 16, and the Orleans County Courthouse Dome will be illumined in a gold color from Sept. 16-30 in a show of support for childhood cancer awareness.

Bower, in his proclamation, said cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children, with 43 children per day or 15,780 children diagnosed with cancer annually.

There is a need for new cancer drugs to be approved by the FDA, and more funding to carry this out, Bower said.

The proclamation notes that hundreds of non-profit organizations at the local, state and national level are helping children with cancer and their families cope with the associated educational, emotional and financial support.

“All of us have been directly or indirectly impacted by this terrible disease,” Bower stated in the proclamation.