| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution designating October 2004 as "Breast Cancer |
| 3 | Awareness Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
|
| 5 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed |
| 6 | cancer among women in the nation, and Florida ranks third |
| 7 | nationally in the total number of new breast cancer cases and |
| 8 | deaths, with women in this state being at a one-in-seven |
| 9 | lifetime risk of developing this disease, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates that 13,350 |
| 11 | new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in Florida |
| 12 | in 2004 and that approximately 2,480 women will die of the |
| 13 | disease, and |
| 14 | WHEREAS, all women are at risk of breast cancer, but the |
| 15 | single most critical risk factor is age, for statistics show |
| 16 | that the rate of breast cancer incidence and death increases |
| 17 | with age and that 96 percent of all such cancers occur in women |
| 18 | ages 40 and older, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, breast cancer is the second most common cause of |
| 20 | cancer death in both white and African-American women; however, |
| 21 | the death rate for this disease among African-American women is |
| 22 | significantly higher than that for white women, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, if the disease is found in its earliest stages, |
| 24 | the 5-year survival rate is 97 percent, dropping to 23 percent |
| 25 | if the cancer is detected later, in a stage of metastases, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, early detection, through routine clinical |
| 27 | examinations and mammography screening beginning at age 40 as |
| 28 | recommended by American Cancer Society guidelines, is the key to |
| 29 | detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 30 |
|
| 31 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 32 | Florida: |
| 33 |
|
| 34 | That the House of Representatives designates October 2004 |
| 35 | as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" in Florida and urges all |
| 36 | women to become more aware of the risks associated with the |
| 37 | occurrence of this disease, to take preventive measures to |
| 38 | minimize those risks, and to undergo early detection procedures |
| 39 | such as mammography and adherence to the American Cancer Society |
| 40 | recommended screening guidelines. |