Gov. Andy Beshear holds ceremony for brain tumor awareness, declares ‘Ice Cream Day’ for DIPG warrior

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WYMT) - Tuesday was a busy day in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort with three proclamations taking place.

First, Governor Andy Beshear designated May as Brain Tumor Awareness Month. WYMT’s Brandon Robinson joined several others during the signing.

“It’s great to see people recognized and honored this month, not just adults but children too. Especially children. They have it so much harder than adults do with DIPG cancer. I’m just glad that the governor and state officials are trying to raise awareness for this disease,” Robinson said.

Robinson, who is a two-time cancer survivor and continues to advocate for people like him.

The Governor also recognized May 17th as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG Day in Kentucky. The day is marked nationally every year on that date.

Shannon Ritchie’s son Colton was diagnosed with DIPG in 2016. He passed in 2018.

“What I always try to tell people is to never be afraid to say our children’s names. That lets us know that you are thinking about them and they are still fresh in your mind too,” Ritchie said.

The third action was to declare May 21st as “David Turner Junior Ice Cream Day” in honor of a young boy who died of DIPG.

The Turner family also lost their son in 2021 from the same disease. His words were echoed in the Capitol Tuesday.

“I hope they remember his catch phrase as he called it. ‘Make every day the best day ever’ cause that is truly a lesson that he taught us,” His mom Liz Turner said.

Before he died, he had the opportunity to be governor for a day and declared National Ice Cream Day in Kentucky.

Tuesday will be known indefinitely as more than just the illnesses that plague Kentuckians but as a sweet celebration of life and progress for the future.

You can see pictures from the event below.

Copyright 2022 WYMT. All rights reserved.