| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating October 2007 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 nation, and |
| 7 | WHEREAS, Florida ranks fourth in the nation for the total |
| 8 | number of new breast cancer cases and second in the nation for |
| 9 | the total number of deaths from breast cancer, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, all women are at risk for breast cancer, the |
| 11 | single most important risk factor of which is age since breast |
| 12 | cancers predominantly occur in women age 50 and older, and the |
| 13 | risk increases with age until age 80, and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates that more |
| 15 | than 11,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be |
| 16 | diagnosed in Florida and approximately 2,700 women will die of |
| 17 | the disease during the year 2007, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, a woman living in Florida has a one-in-eight |
| 19 | chance of developing breast cancer, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the second most common cause of |
| 21 | cancer death in white, African-American, American Indian, and |
| 22 | Hispanic women in the United States, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, early detection, through routine clinical exams |
| 24 | and mammography screening beginning at age 40 in compliance with |
| 25 | the American Cancer Society recommended guidelines, is the key |
| 26 | to detecting breast cancer at the 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 | metastases, 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 |
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| 37 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 38 | Florida: |
| 39 |
|
| 40 | That the House of Representatives designates October 2007 |
| 41 | as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" in Florida and urges all |
| 42 | women to understand the risks associated with breast cancer, to |
| 43 | take preventive steps to minimize those risks, and to undergo |
| 44 | early detection procedures such as mammography and compliance |
| 45 | with the American Cancer Society recommended breast cancer |
| 46 | screening guidelines. |