Monday, May 25 through Sunday, May 31 has been declared DIPG Awareness Week by the State of California.
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DIPG, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is a pediatric brain tumor that is invariably terminal with no progress made to that effect in over 35 years of clinical record. DIPG is responsible for roughly 80% of pediatric brain tumor deaths annually, the leading cause of cancer-related death in children, according to officials.
Assemblyman Scott Wilk learned of DIPG upon meeting Janet Demeter of Jack’s Angels Foundation, and was moved to help raise awareness to this invariably terminal disease, responsible for the majority of pediatric brain tumor deaths each year in the US, according to a news release.
For DIPG Awareness Week, Jack’s Angels Foundation of Santa Clarita is celebrating with a DIPG Awareness Run on Monday, May 25 across the Santa Clarita Valley, to thank Assemblyman Wilk and the California Legislature, and to encourage the movement across the country to have President Obama declare a National DIPG Awareness Day.
The runner wears over 100 multicolored ribbons on angel wings to honor DIPG children, and the run is always dedicated to the recently deceased and the fight for those to come; “I run for them, and for those to come who deserve research to save their lives,” says Jack’s Angels runner in a news release, “I’m asking everyone to tweet the President that day, and if not, during that week, for ‘National DIPG Awareness Day!’, at his timely new twitter account @POTUS. And please say thank you!”
“People can’t care if they’re not aware!” said Aimee Dickey almost a decade ago. She passed away at the age of 12 and was from Scranton, Pennsylvania. She was the inspiration for “Aimees Army,” a Pennsylvania support and research organization for pediatric cancer.
On Thursday, May 28, the Powderpuff Football Game kicks off at 6pm at Vasquez High School in Acton. Half-time of the game boasts the boys cheer squad and the 2015 Angel Awards.
The 2015 Angel Awards is honoring Assemblyman Scott Wilk, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce, Albert Einstein Academy, Vasquez High School, distinguished educators and artists, and volunteers for their contribution to DIPG Awareness and supporting Jack’s Angels mission.
All donations to the Foundation during DIPG Awareness Week will benefit DIPG research.
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