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HARRISBURG – In recognition of National Childhood Awareness Month, State Senator Andy Dinniman recently held a press conference with Paul Matthews of the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation to discuss their efforts to improve access to clinical trials suffering from cancer.
"The color of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is gold, and that's normal because our children are in gold. They are precious. Every child has value, "said Dinniman. "Cancer does not know race or ethnicity. He does not know the income. But every child, black or white, rich or poor, deserves access to drugs and life-saving treatments. "
Matthews, who started the foundation after losing his son, Eli, to childhood leukemia in 2011, has been a tireless advocate for children with cancer and their families.
In recognition of these efforts and the many children and their families struggling with pediatric cancer, the Harrisburg State Capitol has, for the first time, lit gold for the first week of September.
Matthews also recounted how Senator Dinniman and his staff intervened when they learned that a child with cancer had been denied access to a potentially life-saving drug by its insurance providers because the treatment was off-line.
"I took the phone and he said, 'Here's Andy Dinniman. I hear that you need my help. It was a Sunday. He said that if we did not solve this problem until Tuesday, we will go to national news. Tuesday, he had overturned 100% the denial of insurance companies, "said Matthews, a former Oxford city councilor.
Although the young man initially reacted well to the trial, he unfortunately succumbed to the disease. However, the treatment at the end of the trial has allowed his family to live several precious months and he is not sure of the contribution of his participation in cancer research and the development of a cure.
Immediately afterwards, Dinniman worked with Matthews to introduce Senate Bill 572, entitled "The Right to Try for Terminally Ill Children" Act, which requires insurance providers to cover children's clinical trials. ill.
Legislation was blocked at the Senate Committee on Health and Social Services during this session, but Dinniman and Matthews pledged to complete it at the next 2019-2020 session.
"We made a difference in the life of this child, senator, because you are involved and you are involved. I am being asked to move this bill forward, to continue working and to make a difference in the lives of so many other children, "said Matthews.
"We are ready to overcome any opposition," said Dinniman. "We are ready to do everything in our power to save every child's life in pediatric cancer."
In addition, this year, Mr. Dinniman introduced Senate Bill 576, which specifies what is considered an incentive for a patient to participate in a cancer clinical trial. This bill has been amended to become Bill 126 and should be passed by the legislature this session.
Dinniman is also the first co-sponsor of Senator Scott Martin's resolution, which officially commemorates Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Pennsylvania.
Earlier this year, Dinniman and his colleagues voted unanimously to approve Senator Martin's Bill 1091 (Act No. 73 of 2018), which allows Pennsylvania drivers to donate to the United States.
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