Cancer patients are urging Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) to change his stance and support a legislative measure that could provide crucial treatments for children with cancer.
Jacob Knudsen, diagnosed with osteosarcoma at age 12, has undergone nearly 20 surgeries and multiple chemotherapy sessions since a tumor was found. He’s asking Sanders to get behind the Give Children a Chance Act, named after his late friend who also suffered from osteosarcoma and passed away last year at just 16. “There’s something in my lungs right now, and there’s a 50-50 chance that it’s cancer,” said Knudsen, a college student from California. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to survive.”
Sanders recently garnered criticism after halting a bipartisan bill aimed at improving childhood cancer research. The proposed legislation would allow pediatric cancer patients better access to clinical trials and necessary treatments.
This bill passed unanimously in the House, but when it made its way to the Senate, Sanders opposed it, citing a need for additional funding for various initiatives, like community health centers. His resistance has delayed the bill’s advancement.
In December, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) accused Sanders of prioritizing politics over the lives of children after the bill stalled. “What I’m advocating for is giving kids a chance to live,” Mullin remarked, emphasizing that this issue transcends political games.
Although Sanders stated he supported the bill’s goals regarding pediatric research and treatment for rare diseases, he insisted on introducing amendments. He expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the bill, asserting it needed a more comprehensive fix rather than just moving forward as is.
Nancy Goodman, the executive director of Kids vs Cancer, described the bill’s failure as indicative of serious dysfunction in Washington. “This bill would ensure that the most innovative and promising pediatric cancer clinical research is conducted, ultimately saving children’s lives. How can we claim Congress is functioning if we can’t even pass something that’s straightforward and carries bipartisan support?” she questioned. Goodman, along with her husband, lost their son to cancer in 2009, which adds a poignant layer to her advocacy.
Other cancer patients share similar sentiments. “It would help if politicians spoke to someone diagnosed with cancer to understand their struggles,” 21-year-old Anderson Coy noted, echoing a common frustration. “The sooner we can address these issues, the more lives we can save,” Knudsen concluded, reflecting on the tragic potential of lives lost to cancer and the unrealized contributions of those young victims.
