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May 17, 2019: Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Awareness Day

WHEREAS, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a type of tumor that starts in the brain stem and controls breathing, nerves, and muscles, which can cause problems with everyday functions; and,

 

WHEREAS, brain tumors are one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in children; and,

 

WHEREAS, DIPG is the most common malignant brain tumor found in children, with over 75 percent of brainstem tumors being DIPG; and,

 

WHEREAS, DIPG affects between 150 and 300 children in the United States each year. The average age at diagnosis is 6 to 7 years old, with a median overall survival of 8-11 months, and only a 5-year survival rate of approximately 2 percent; and,

 

WHEREAS, DIPG currently remains incurable, despite decades of clinical trials; and,

 

WHEREAS, through the work of the DIPG Registry, new data is being used to influence research toward improving treatment and outcomes;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 17, 2019 as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Awareness Day.