A house RESOLUTION

TO ENCOURAGE ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDHOOD CANCER TASK FORCE, THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS OF THE STATE, AND OTHER APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS TO UNDERTAKE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A ST. JUDE AFFILIATE PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, since 1962, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in its commitment to Danny Thomas' motto that "no child should die in the dawn of life" has transformed how the world treats childhood cancers through cutting-edge research, innovative clinical trials, and exceptional care, offers one of the nation's largest sickle cell treatment programs in its effort to cure sickle cell and childhood blood disorders, and is on the forefront of research and treatments to change outcomes for life-threatening childhood diseases; and

Whereas, located in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has founded affiliate programs comprised of a network of clinics, hospitals, and universities that work closely with St. Jude to provide expert, compassionate care and treatment closer to a patient's home, allowing families to take part in clinical trials and receive follow-up and supportive care. Currently, the closest affiliate program locations to the State of South Carolina are Charlotte, North Carolina, and Johnson City, Tennessee; and

Whereas, in September 2024, the South Carolina Childhood Cancer Taskforce released its first childhood cancer report titled "Childhood Cancer in South Carolina: 25-Year Trends in Incidence, Survival and Mortality." While the report identified many positive trends, it also outlined areas in which the State must improve, including an overall increase in the incidence of childhood cancer, specifically for leukemia and lymphoma; and

Whereas, the Childhood Cancer Taskforce represents a coalition of stakeholders including the South Carolina Department of Public Health, the South Carolina Children's Hospital Collaborative, the University of South Carolina, and the South Carolina Cancer Alliance, with the nonprofit hospital collaborative comprised of the four children's hospitals in the State: Prisma Health Children's Hospital- Upstate, McLeod Children's Hospital, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, and Prisma Health Children's Hospital - Midlands. Through this taskforce, the state's medical schools and their affiliated teaching hospitals located in the Midlands, Upstate, and Lowcountry, quality hospital systems such as Roper St. Francis Healthcare and Trident Health, and a comprehensive sickle cell disease program housed in the Midlands with satellite offices in smaller communities, the State is well positioned to make even greater strides toward addressing the negative childhood cancer trends and to ensure that any child in the Palmetto State diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening illness receives exceptional care and survives their diagnosis; and

Whereas, a partnership between St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the State to create an affiliate program in South Carolina could harness the capabilities of the state's existing taskforces, collaboratives, medical schools, and healthcare facilities, already working to cure childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases in the Palmetto State as well as help St. Jude in its mission to provide world-class, compassionate care and treatment closer to a patient's home. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, encourage St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the members of the South Carolina Childhood Cancer Task Force, the medical schools and hospitals of the State, and other appropriate stakeholders to undertake efforts to establish and operate a St. Jude affiliate program in the State of South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Ellis J. Neufeld, MD, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Executive Vice President, Clinical Director, and Physician-in-Chief; James R. Downing, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer; Robert R. Clark, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Chief Government Affairs Officer; Anna Hoppmann, MD, South Carolina Childhood Cancer Taskforce Chair; David J. Cole, MD, MUSC President; Gerald Harmon, MD, USC School of Medicine Columbia Interim Dean; Phyllis MacGilvray, MD, USC School of Medicine Greenville Dean; Joseph DeLeon, Roper St. Francis Healthcare President and Chief Executive Officer; and Jeff Wilson, Trident Health President and Trident Medical Center Chief Executive Officer.

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