More money is needed to care for some of the most vulnerable Kentuckians.

That was the message today from advocates, families and medical professionals who gathered in Frankfort for the annual childhood cancer awareness rally.

They're calling on lawmakers to allocate more money for pediatric cancer research.

We have families that are here today whose children are going through cancer or have passed away from cancer.

This is one of the most important things we can invest in.

A family should never be told there's no cure.

A family should never be told there's no more treatment or that there's no more hope.

And so we invest every year because we believe there will be a day that no family will ever have to hear that again.

I started experiencing nausea, vomiting, fevers when I was about nine years old, when migraine started waking me from my sleep around September 2020.

My mom reach out reached out to.

A third.

Neurologist.

She thought it was migraines and just thought it was migraines.

It was not migraines.

It was a brain tumor.

Funding is a necessity and it is a necessity because we are all different and all of our bodies are going to react to drugs and treatments in different ways.

And so funding to be able to tailor treatments to individuals and individual cancers is a necessity to support.

The federal cuts to Medicaid.

And the failure to extend tax credits on the exchanges are going to be devastating to families, some of which are going through this.

Most kids going through pediatric cancer get covered on Medicaid, and being covered and staying covered on Medicaid is going to get that much harder.

We're also going to see fewer options out there.

We're going to see specialties closing down in our rural hospitals.

We have come a lot together, a lot over the years, and it has always been an honor to be in a room with such strong people and strong children and parents who fight for their kids.

Please keep fighting.

To our legislators who are working on the budget right now.

Don't get healthcare for kids.

They need it.

Kids facing pediatric cancer want to get our very best.

There shouldn't be a limit on what we're willing to do.

And so to each of you, well, today, thank you for being here.

The parents.

I'm sorry.

It's not right.

We'll try to do better with the next family and the next one.

And next week after that.

We care about you.

We love you.

Let's show the world what you Texans value.

Kids like me.

Kids like Caroline.

Kids with cancer.

Hey, hey.

Governor Beshear also signed a proclamation declaring today, February the 18th Childhood Cancer Awareness Day in Kentucky.