Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act

Floor Speech

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 733, the Pancreatic Cancer Research Education Act. Oftentimes, we talk about numbers, Mr. Speaker, but often there's the occasion to actually talk to the people who are behind the bills. One of the most moving experiences I have had is to have had a visit to my office by a young woman by the name of Sienna Gonzalez, who visited with her mother and her family. You see, Sienna's mother is a victim of pancreatic cancer; and Sienna is on a mission, along with many of her friends, to help people fight to find a cure for pancreatic cancer.

She took a lead by urging so many of her friends and colleagues in her classroom, and I hold in my hand just one of the volumes of hundreds upon hundreds of letters that came and were so moving.

The facts speak for themselves: 43,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; 36,000 will die just this year; and the life expectancy after announcement of that is about 3 to 6 months. I think the words are better said, however, by some of the students.

People are losing a lot of friends and family, writes Aly, because of this horrible, horrifying disease. We are trying to help. Did you know that this disease is one of the few cancers for which survival has not improved substantially? In over 40 years, survival rates have not changed. The average life span after diagnosis is 3 to 6 months. Please use more of your research money to help these people if you can. Thank you.

That's just one of the hundreds of letters.

I want to express my deep appreciation of Dr. Timothy Quinn, the superintendent of the Methacton School District; Mrs. Melissa Gora, the principal; but, mostly, the hundreds and hundreds of students who have taken the time to ensure that their voices are heard. As they said: pancreatic cancer: know it, fight it, end it.

Thank you for your role in making sure that my colleagues understand the importance of this great challenge and the opportunity that we have to fight for those with pancreatic cancer.

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