| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating October 2006 as "Breast Cancer |
| 3 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
|
| 5 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed |
| 6 | in women in the nation, and |
| 7 | WHEREAS, Florida ranks third in the nation for total number |
| 8 | of new breast cancer cases and deaths from breast cancer, and |
| 9 | WHEREAS, all women are at risk for breast cancer, the |
| 10 | single most important risk factor of which is age since breast |
| 11 | cancers predominantly occur in women age 50 and older, and the |
| 12 | risk increases with age until age 80, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates that more |
| 14 | than 13,360 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be |
| 15 | diagnosed in Florida and approximately 2,570 women will die of |
| 16 | the disease during the year 2006, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, a woman living in the United States has a one-in- |
| 18 | eight chance of developing breast cancer, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the second most common cause of |
| 20 | cancer death in white women and among African-American women, |
| 21 | and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, early detection, through routine clinical exams |
| 23 | and mammography screening beginning at age 40 in compliance with |
| 24 | the American Cancer Society recommended guidelines, is the key |
| 25 | to detecting breast cancer at the earliest stages, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer, if the |
| 27 | disease is found in its earliest stages, is 98 percent but drops |
| 28 | to 26 percent if the cancer is detected late, in a stage of |
| 29 | metastases, and |
| 30 | WHEREAS, in conjunction with the promotion of October as |
| 31 | "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," breast cancer awareness |
| 32 | programs, such as the American Cancer Society's "Reach to |
| 33 | Recovery" program, will promote early breast cancer detection |
| 34 | through regular screening, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 35 |
|
| 36 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 37 | Florida: |
| 38 |
|
| 39 | That the House of Representatives designates October 2006 |
| 40 | as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" in Florida and urges all |
| 41 | women to understand the risks associated with breast cancer, to |
| 42 | take preventive steps to minimize those risks, and to undergo |
| 43 | early detection procedures such as mammography and compliance |
| 44 | with the American Cancer Society recommended breast cancer |
| 45 | screening guidelines. |