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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time during which we should rededicate ourselves to the detection and prevention of a disease which affects far too many American women.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. More than 211,000 women will be newly-diagnosed with this disease this year, while some 40,000 women will die from it. The disease will be diagnosed in more than 13,000 women in Florida this year, killing at least 2,500 of our state’s women. The good news is that early detection through mammography can greatly reduce the chances of women getting and dying from this disease.
I chaired the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee in the House of Representatives for ten years, a time during which I devoted a considerable amount of effort to encouraging the prevention, early detection, and hopefully someday, the elimination of cancer from our society. As Health Subcommittee Chairman, I helped renew many national cancer reduction programs, including the Mammography Quality Standards Act, which ensures safe and accurate mammograms for women and provides direct patient notification of their test results.
The federal government will spend more than $850 million on breast cancer research this year alone. That is in addition to the millions that generous Americans donate each year to treating and finding cures for a disease which affects too many wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters. The strength and resolve of the women who are battling this determined but beatable disease should inspire us to promote its early detection and treatment.
I encourage everyone to observe National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by imploring the women you care about to talk with their doctors about their risk of getting this deadly disease and seeking appropriate screenings and treatment if necessary. Doing so could save the life of someone you love. |
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