County of Monmouth

For Immediate Release:

September 14, 2015

 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Freeholders support awareness of pediatric cancer

 

FREEHOLD, NJ – Childhood cancer spares no socioeconomic, ethnic, racial or geographic class and every year almost 15,000 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer. The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders present a proclamation for “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” to The Kortney Rose Foundation Founder and President Kristen Gillette and her husband Rich, who lost their daughter Kortney to a brain tumor, at their regular public meeting on Sept. 10 in Freehold, NJ. Pictured left to right: Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, Rich and Kristen Gillette, Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso and Freeholder John P. Curley.

Because of these shocking numbers, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has declared September “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” in Monmouth County.

“In September we pay tribute to the families, friends, professionals and communities who lend their strength to children fighting pediatric cancer,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso. “We remember the young lives taken and dedicate our energies to combating pediatric cancer.”

A proclamation for “Childhood Cancer Awareness Month” was presented to The Kortney Rose Foundation (KRF), a charity that was set up by Kortney’s parents, after her death in 2006 from a rare brain tumor, to create her legacy of helping other children through the promise of research.

“We thank the Board of Chosen Freeholders for creating this important proclamation and for honoring our charity,” said Kristen Gillette, Founder and President of The Kortney Rose Foundation. “Children are very underrepresented in the cancer research universe, so they have to rely on private foundations and generous individuals to fund research that could save their lives.”

Since inception, KRF has built a playground in Kortney’s name and has become an active Chairman's Circle member of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) having donated over $1 million dollars directly and through advocacy. It helped establish CHOP's world-class Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC.org), and more than 95% of every dollar donated to KRF goes directly to this research. 

Gillette, who works for Monmouth University, has coordinated with the University’s Political Science and Sociology clubs for the past five years to hold a 5K race to raise funds and awareness for KRF. 

“We must do everything we can to promote the awareness and research of this disease that is taking the lives of our children,” said DiMaso. “Hearts go out to the families affected by cancer and we sincerely hope that by declaring September as ‘Childhood Cancer Awareness Month’ we can start to raise awareness right here in Monmouth County.”

The Board of Chosen Freeholders have placed an oversized gold ribbon in the plaza in front of the County Hall of Records to draw further attention to the issue of pediatric cancer.

The month of September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which was created to bring attention to the caregivers, charities and groups, who spotlight the importance of the need for research and awareness to aid in finding cures for pediatric cancer.


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