HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 47
(By Delegates Frazier, Hall, Phillips, Shott and Porter)
Requesting the Division of Highways to name the section of U.S.
Route 460 from its intersection with I-77, Exit 9, Milepost 4
to John Nash Boulevard, Milepost 16.5 in Mercer County, West
Virginia the "Childhood Cancer Survivor and Memorial Highway."
Whereas, Childhood cancers are the number one disease killer of
our children each year; and
Whereas, Every year, more than 12,500 children and young adults
are diagnosed with some form of the twelve major childhood cancer
groups; and
Whereas, One in every 330 persons in the United States will
develop cancer before the age of twenty; and
Whereas, The childhood cancer groups are the least federally
funded areas of cancer research and treatment; and
Whereas, One in five children with childhood cancer dies from
the disease; and
Whereas, A childhood cancer diagnosis is a family diagnosis
which carries a tremendous emotional and financial burden, often
averaging over $45,000 per family, not including medical expenses;
and
Whereas, Since 2002, in Mercer county alone this insidious disease has claimed the lives of at least five children, and
several children are battling to become childhood cancer survivors;
and
Whereas, It is important that we raise awareness of child
cancer victims to aid in finding new cancer treatments and cures -
for our children are our most precious resource and their health
and well-being is paramount; and
Whereas, In naming this highway we honor the memory of all the
children of Mercer County and the State of West Virginia who have
succumbed to cancer, as well as those who are cancer survivors;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways
to name the section of U.S. Route 460 from its intersection with I-
77, Exit 9, Milepost 4 to John Nash Boulevard, Milepost 16.5 in
Mercer County, West Virginia the "Childhood Cancer Survivor and
Memorial Highway"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby
requested to make and place signs identifying the highway as the
"Childhood Cancer Survivor and Memorial Highway"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates
forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the
Department of Transportation and to the families of Emma Vannatter,
Jonathon Powell, and other childhood cancer victims.