BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR A PENNSYLVANIA PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH HOSPITAL
W
alk up to anyone on the street and ask them what they dislike about politics. Chances are almost certain that you will get a response somewhere along the lines of, “No one wants to work together to get anything done.” It’s something I have heard far too often on my trips around the 32nd district. But when I tell constituents that my colleagues in the Senate and I often develop and pass legislation that finds unanimous support, they are left surprised by the news. Bipartisan support for legislation often goes unreported and unheralded by the news media because it doesn’t have the draw of a political fight. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight one of those bipartisan agreements that passed through the Senate last November of which I am particularly proud. On November 19, 2019, I cast my vote for Senate Bill 74, a tax credit program for qualifying donations made to a Pennsylvania pediatric cancer research hospital. Credits would be limited to $10 million per year over the next 10 years. Pediatric cancer research hospitals could benefit from up to $100 million in new private donations under this bill. The bill passed the Senate with a unanimous 49-0 vote tally. Pediatric Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease past infancy among children in the United States. The National Institutes of Health estimate that in 2018, 15,590 children ages 0 to 19 will be
by State Senator, Pat Stefano
I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight one of those bipartisan agreements that passed through the Senate last November of which I am particularly proud. diagnosed with cancer and 1,780 will die of these diseases. However, the National Cancer Institute spends just 4 percent of its research dollars on pediatric cancer. Children are suffering from leukemias, brain and central nervous system tumors, lymphomas, and other types of pediatric cancer, and we can do more about it. The credit would apply to qualifying donations made to Pennsylvania’s leading pediatric care centers such as the Center for Childhood Research at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Penn State Hershey’s Pediatric Hematology and Oncology center, the Abramson Cancer Center with Penn Medicine, and the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. These centers are leading the way in research and
10 GOALMagazine: A Publication of Go2Goal | Spring/Summer 2020
treatment in Pennsylvania and across the country. The more resources that they have at their disposal could potentially lead to a cure to these types of pediatric cancer. Every year, we see Penn State students from all over the state raise millions as part of their Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon to help fund pediatric cancer research and cover the medical expenses of patients being treated at the Penn State Children’s Hospital through the Four Diamonds Fund. At THON each year, some 700 students dance for 46 hours without sitting down to show their support. In 2020, these students raised $11,696,942, raising $1.075 million more than last year’s total. Since its inception in 1973, THON has helped over 4,000 families in their battles with pediatric cancer by raising over $168 million. Every Penn State campus joins in on the effort, and I am proud to say that my alma mater, Penn State Fayette, has repeatedly been the highest commonwealth campus contributor. Most notably, the Eberly Campus made a $93,943 donation to the cause in 2016. These students take the lead every year in providing for those children who need it most, and I applaud my colleagues for standing together with them by creating more incentive to donate to their cause. Senate Bill 74 was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration and I hope to see it go to the Governor’s desk for signature this year. Our children are Pennsylvania’s future, and we can do more to help them reach that future.
