For more than 20 years, Americans annually recognize October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with nationwide initiatives to educate women about early breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment.
Today Congressman David Scott (GA-13) released the following statement:
“As the husband of a courageous survivor of breast cancer, my wife Alfredia Scott, I join countless others this month to honor the inspiring strength of breast cancer patients and the dedication of health professionals who care for them. Almost everyone in America has been touched by this disease. During this year alone an estimated 212,920 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women and 40,970 women will die from the disease.
“In Georgia breast cancer accounts for 32% of all new cancer cases among women. White women in Georgia are 11% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than other women. And Black women have a 30% higher mortality rate from breast cancer than other women. While we’ve had great advances in breast cancer treatment options, I urge women to use this month to take control of their health through information and regular screenings.”
As a Georgia State Senator, Congressman David Scott authored the Breast Cancer Patient Protection law which gives breast cancer patients and their physicians the right to determine their length of stay in the hospital and their level of medical treatment. Scott has remained an advocate in Congress for breast cancer awareness by cosponsoring key legislation to nationalize the Breast Cancer Patient Protection law that he authored in Georgia; require insurance companies to provide coverage for annual mammograms; and provide grants for breast cancer screening, counseling, treatment, and prevention programs.
