Petition e-440: May 15th as National DIPG Awareness Day Across Canada

Monkey Crew Against DIPG is asking that you take five minutes to copy and paste an email to Health Minister Jane Philpott to let the Federal Health Ministry know that you have signed petition e-440 and why it is so important.

Petition e-440 was tabled in the House of Commons on October 31st by sponsor MP Stephen Fuhr. It was just recently brought to our attention that any decisions regarding the petition will be done by the Federal Health Ministry. As the petition has already been tabled, please send your email as soon as possible.

All the emails to your local MPs are not wasted! They have helped us to raise awareness for D.I.P.G. brain cancer, generate interest by MPs all over Canada in D.I.P.G. brain tumour research initiatives, and given D.I.P.G. children and their families a louder voice.

Find a link to a pdf template letter to help you with your email here. Or copy and paste the template letter below into an email for Health Minister Jane Philpott. Remember to add your name to the bottom.

Dear Honourable Jane Philpott,

I am writing to bring your attention to petition e-440: May 15^th as a National D.I.P.G. Awareness Day, which was tabled in the House of Commons on October 31st. D.I.P.G. is a childhood brainstem tumour with a 0% survival rate that receives little research funding and has had no advances in treatment that extend survival time in over 50 years.

Brain cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths amongst children and D.I.P.G. tumours account for 80% of these deaths yet many people, including health care professionals, have never heard of D.I.P.G. Declaring May 15^th as National D.I.P.G. Awareness Day costs nothing yet its reward is far-reaching. A dedicated, annual DIPG awareness day:

1)   Acknowledges the severity of D.I.P.G. and its widespread impact on Canadian families, friends, and communities

2)   Raises public awareness of D.I.P.G. brain cancer

3)   Gains researcher and practicing professional’s attention which, in turn, increases D.I.P.G. research initiatives and the likelihood of earlier detection

4)   Opens the door for more dialogue about D.I.P.G. detection, treatment and research between D.I.P.G. families, the public and the medical community

5)   Honours the fallen children who have died from D.I.P.G. and the children who are still fighting

6)   Is the first step towards getting dedicated, annual D.I.P.G. research funding and early detection initiatives

Supporting petition e-440 is an opportunity for you to correct a Canadian health tragedy that has been devastating families, friends, peers, and communities all over Canada for over 50 years. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (D.I.P.G.) is an aggressive, inoperable brainstem tumour with a median survival time of only 9 months, and 90% of children diagnosed with DIPG will die within 2 years of their diagnosis. Children remain mentally intact while they lose their ability to see, walk, chew, swallow, talk, hear and breathe before their heart stops beating. There is presently NO cure or viable treatment option available in Canada that extend symptom-free survival time or overall survival time for children suffering with D.I.P.G.

I am asking that the Canadian Health Ministry support petition e-440 and name May 15^th as National D.I.P.G. Awareness Day across Canada.

Kind Regards,

your name

Send your email to both:

jane.philpott@canada.ca

Minister_ministre@hc-sc.gc.ca

"Together We Can Give These Children Hope for a Future"