| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating October 2005 as "Breast Cancer |
| 3 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed |
| 6 | in women in the United States, and all women are at risk for |
| 7 | breast cancer, and |
| 8 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the second most common cause of |
| 9 | cancer death among white women and the number one cause of |
| 10 | cancer death among African-American women, and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, the single biggest risk factor of breast cancer is |
| 12 | age since breast cancer predominantly occurs in women 50 years |
| 13 | of age and older, and the risk increases with age until the age |
| 14 | of 80, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, a woman living in Florida has a one-in-seven |
| 16 | chance of developing breast cancer, and Florida ranks third in |
| 17 | the nation for the total number of new breast cancer cases and |
| 18 | deaths from the disease, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates that more |
| 20 | than 13,430 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be |
| 21 | diagnosed in Florida and that approximately 2,570 Florida women |
| 22 | will die of the disease during the year 2005, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, early detection through routine clinical exams and |
| 24 | mammography screening beginning at age 40, in compliance with |
| 25 | the American Cancer Society's recommended guidelines, is the key |
| 26 | to detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages, and |
| 27 | WHEREAS, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer, if the |
| 28 | disease is found in its earliest stages, is 98 percent but drops |
| 29 | to 26 percent if the cancer is detected late, in a stage of |
| 30 | metastasis, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, in conjunction with the promotion of October as |
| 32 | "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," breast cancer awareness |
| 33 | programs such as the American Cancer Society's "Reach to |
| 34 | Recovery" program will promote early breast cancer detection |
| 35 | through regular screening, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 36 |
|
| 37 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 38 | Florida: |
| 39 |
|
| 40 | That October 2005 is designated "Breast Cancer Awareness |
| 41 | Month" in Florida, and all women are urged to understand the |
| 42 | risks associated with breast cancer and to undergo early |
| 43 | detection procedures such as mammography and comply with the |
| 44 | American Cancer Society's recommended breast cancer screening |
| 45 | guidelines as preventive steps toward minimizing the risks |
| 46 | caused by breast cancer. |