When he was 11 years old, John Eckert had no energy, lost his appetite and began fainting in school. He was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma and went through three cycles of chemotherapy and radiation treatment for eight months to shrink a tumor the size of three adult fists in his chest and an additional tumor near his pelvic area. He has been in remission for seven years.

The freshman in DGS recalled seeing patients with varied ethnicities when he was being treated at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign and said he thinks the National Minority Cancer Awareness Week — adopted in Illinois on April 12 by U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis, R-13, and Ami Bera, D-Calif. — is a good idea.

National Minority Cancer Awareness Week, introduced in House Resolution 154, spans from April 15 to April 23.

According to Davis’ press release, it is a week meant to spread awareness about minority groups in the United States who are not receiving adequate cancer prevention, screening and treatment.

“Despite incredible medical advancements in cancer treatments, too many minorities and other medically underserved populations are not seeing the benefits of this progress,” Davis said in the press release. “Our goal for National Minority Cancer Awareness Week is to shine a light on these disparities and find ways to effectively bridge these dangerous gaps in health care.

Eckert attended this Saturday’s Relay for Life, an overnight event that was held to raise funds for cancer research, and he said there seemed to be an equal amount of Caucasians and minorities participants. 

He said he wanted to spend National Minority Cancer Awareness Week reaching out to cancer patients of different ethnic backgrounds.

“I … intend to make an effort to try to connect with minorities here on campus who are currently undergoing treatment and with those who have survived,” Eckert said.

In his press release, Davis drew attention to the large amount of ethnicities in need of treatment. 

More than one out of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer, and 1.6 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year.

“As a doctor, I took an oath to provide all my patients with the best options available to them, but a disproportionate number of Americans remain underserved,” Bera said in the press release. “During Minority Cancer Awareness Week, it’s important for us to look at how we can improve these disparities and ensure everyone has access to lifesaving cancer treatments.”

The American Cancer Society recognizes National Minority Cancer Awareness Week in its Cancer Awareness Calendar for 2013. The week of awareness was first designated for the third week of April in 1987 by the U.S. House of Representatives because, “while cancer affects men and women of every age, race, ethnic background and economic class, the disease has a disproportionately severe impact on minorities and the economically disadvantaged,” according to the National Association of Social Workers.

This bipartisan resolution, supported by Davis and Bera, allows Illinois to officially recognize and celebrate the week along with other states in America.

“Cancer touches every American family, regardless of race, zip code or economic status,” Davis said.

Brittany can be reached at [email protected].